


take a chance on me

by sogogibaby



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: 7 year age gap, Alternate Universe - Mamma Mia! Fusion, Alternate Universe - Wedding Planner, CEO Chanyeol, Female Kim Junmyeon | Suho, Kid Sehun, M/M, Minor Character Death, Mpreg, Secret pregnancy, baek is 22 and chan is 29, really shitty smut like im so sorry fhdsljf, wedding planner baekhyun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 21:11:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19303915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sogogibaby/pseuds/sogogibaby
Summary: Four years later, Chanyeol comes back to Kalokairi to find Baekhyun. What he finds instead, is Baekhyun and his son.





	1. Chiquitita

**Author's Note:**

> hello everyone~ this fic is based on this prompt: https://twitter.com/92baekyeols/status/1118818732619354113  
> I had such a hard time writing it so I kind of just want it out there? I know I'm not the best writer but I hope the plot still comes through! Love you all! Also thank you to my betas Tammi & Jiji! Also big thank you to Arianna for literally coming in clutch for all my angst needs :(
> 
> Also, I hope the tracklist format isn't too hard to understand. It's based off a musical so it seemed like it would be bare without some music. I'm not a fan of incorporating music lyrics in fics but this is technically a "song fic" so there are some lyrics here and there! Pls excuse any grammatical errors, I wrote this at 4am consecutively for 4 months fjdslk
> 
> here is the playlist of songs i've used: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7bZuEG87AfvPMGgtW1sFj4?si=7IInUe2SRtK6jFPDGwWMBA
> 
> I have about half the fic written so hopefully part two will go up soon~

**Track 01: Chiquitita**

The late-night scene on Kalokairi wasn’t… the best. But, that wasn’t the reason that Chanyeol had come here, was it? He had come to run away from his obligations, and this was the best place to do it. He had read an old sailor’s tale that if you sailed from the mystical docks of the island and kept on towards the sunrise, you would fall off the edge of the world. Craving that ever elusive isolation, Chanyeol bought a sailboat and took off for Greece as soon as he could get a minute away from the chaos of his company and endless family drama. Being a part of one of the most affluent families in South Korea really hadn’t been all that it was pent up to be. 

Maybe being so close to the edge was why the sunsets off the coast of the island were so much more beautiful than any Chanyeol had seen before. He was so close to the edge; to where he needed to be. Kalokairi was a nice pit-stop on his journey, too. It didn’t have much, but it also didn’t have cell service or internet. 

It was just the earth, the sky, and the ocean. 

Although there was only one bar on the entire island, Chanyeol quite liked it. It was a dingy sort of place, with gaudy ocean-themed decor. The old lady that ran the place seemed to not give a rat’s ass about paying rent on the place — assuming anyone actually owned or cared about the building — so she would also ways give free drinks to all the bar-goers. 

There was also only one band that played at the bar, and although Chanyeol wasn’t a fan of Grecian rock music, it was loud and the incomprehensible lyrics drowned out any other thoughts that were threatening to cross his mind. 

The white noise in combination with a few beers in his system was how he spent his last few weekends on the island. This night was no different.

As the sharp taste of carbonated beer slid down his throat, Chanyeol relaxed into his bar seat, eyes scanning his surroundings. There were only two other Grecians at the bar on this fine Friday night, but that wasn’t unusual for an island with a population of a little over fifty. Over the past three weeks that Chanyeol had been on the island, he had gotten used to the isolation. He had met most of the inhabitants, mostly through this very bar, and they seemed to accept him. They weren’t partial to tourists, but they recognized him as one of their own. Someone who came to escape. 

After the fifth song, Chanyeol decided to call it a night. Despite all of the drinks being free, he left a few euros at the bar anyways—  the owner had been kind to him in his time here. As he travelled back to the place he was staying, his skin started to sweat from the humidity, and clouds had begun to fill the night sky. His suspicions were confirmed when the first clap of thunder resounded across island: a tropical storm. 

His shoulders hunched as he sighed. This would be the first time he would have to experience bad weather since he arrived; the beauty of the island made it seem as if no bad could ever mar the island’s illusion of paradise. He quickened his pace to get out of the rain, hoping the unstable roof of the farmhouse would hold through the storm.

The way Chanyeol had found the farmhouse had been an act of fate on its own, really. There hadn’t been anywhere to stay on the island, and he was going to give up when he stumbled upon the building. It had been abandoned— clearly a fixer upper. Despite its tattered state, he could see the potential of the place almost immediately. Large windows, high ceilings, and beautiful golden light entered through cracks in the walls. It seemed that someone still paid to keep the place running, too. There was water, electricity, and even a working kitchen, making it the perfect place for him to call home for the next… who knew how long. 

Skipping up the steps to the house, he noticed that the door was left unlocked. Unable to remember whether he had left it open, he entered cautiously. If the owners had returned, he would be in deep water. The floor creaked ominously under his feet as he navigated the dark hallways. It was only after a few moments that he noticed a glowing light emitting from the kitchen. He hesitated, unsure whether he should enter unarmed.

Deciding that it wasn’t worth the risk, he stopped, looking around for something to defend himself with. Finding nothing suitable, he slowly picked up a loose plank from the broken floor, taking a deep breath before sneaking his way into the kitchen, prepared for the worst. 

Upon inspecting the kitchen, Chanyeol let the plank hit the floor with a soft thud. The intruder was just a boy—  the poor thing was was crouching on the floor, hands blocking his ears, eyes shut tight. Chanyeol could hear small whines escaping his lips, and he could only assume he had come in to escape the storm. The boy was beyond drenched. His blonde hair leaked onto the floor and his tropical wear was soaked, absolutely not suited to the weather. Chanyeol’s clothes could relate, he hadn’t expected the storm to be this bad. 

Chanyeol decided to approach the boy carefully, moving closer and bending down as to not scare him off.

“Hey… are you the owner of this house?” his voice came out deep from disuse, but he couldn’t seem to hear him through his muffled ears. Chanyeol reached his hand to remove the boy’s hands from their position, but as he did so, the blonde flinched—  his eyes snapping open. 

The boy put his hands down shakily, looking up at him with his eyes wide. He seemed disoriented, and Chanyeol realized that his face was not only drenched from the rain, but there were tears slipping down his cheeks as well. “Who are you?” he asked Chanyeol, before being cut off when the sound of thunder tore through the silence of the house again. He jumped two feet in the air at the noise, and in the next moment Chanyeol found himself with an arm full of pure… shaking…  _ puppy _ . 

Chanyeol’s hands hung awkwardly in the air around the boy, unsure if he should embrace him or push him away. 

The blonde was shaking and whimpering in his grasp, and Chanyeol could practically see his figurative ears flatten against his head. 

“You…” Chanyeol began, but with every clap of thunder, he only buried his nose deeper into the other’s collarbone. Chanyeol shoulder quickly began to be soaked with tears, and he sighed once again.  

The stranger seemed… harmless, at least for now. And, if he really  _ was _ the owner of the farmhouse, it would probably be better to get on his good side before he pressed charges against him for trespassing.

“It’s alright. I’ve got you.” 

Carefully lifting him from the ground, Chanyeol rested his hands underneath his thighs. Chanyeol also let him snake his arms around his neck as he brought the two of them upstairs. The floor could hardly support Chanyeol’s weight alone, so it was a miracle that it was able to hold the two of them at the same time. Once he tiptoed up the last stair, he brought him into the master bedroom to lay him down on the bed.

Now, he was stuck with another dilemma. The boy simply wouldn’t let go of his neck, no matter how much Chanyeol tried to pacify him. No amount of  _ you’re fine’s _ and _ it’s okay’s  _ would seem to calm the distraught blonde. 

“Don’t go please…” He whined between breaths, dewy eyelashes sticking to his cheeks, and grabby hands reaching for Chanyeol’s own. 

Chanyeol bit his lip, unsure how to proceed. 

“I—I won’t,” he mumbled, inching forward on the bed with his knees. “Are you afraid of thunder?” the taller asked, receiving an insistent nod from the other.  _ Well, obviously. _ Chanyeol realized it was a rather dumb question as another clap of thunder boomed outside the thin walls of the house, and the boy whimpered, practically jumping into Chanyeol’s lap again. 

He tried to set him back down, finding it futile. The blonde’s hands seemed permanently locked around his neck this time, and his knees were caught around Chanyeol’s waist. Relenting, Chanyeol tiredly laid down on the bed, letting the smaller cling to him. 

The boy kind of reminded him of his little sister back at home, who would spook at the smallest of things. When they were younger, she would always climb into his bed with her little stuffed animal when there was thunder outside. 

Thinking back, she could never fall asleep until Chanyeol would muffle the sounds of the thunder by hugging her close. Granted, he couldn’t do anything drastic considering this man was a complete stranger, but… he could try. 

Deciding to take action, he painstakingly brought the blanket up to warm the both of them up. After a few moments of debating with himself, Chanyeol settled on covering the boys ears with the palms of his hands, hoping that they would muffle the sounds enough to let him sleep.  

Chanyeol's best efforts to put some space between them went to waste as the stranger buried his face into Chanyeol's neck and drifted off to sleep.

 

**Track 02: The Day Before You Came**

Island weather was temperamental, but it was beautiful the morning after a storm. Baekhyun opened his eyes, noting his surroundings groggily. His face scrunched up with confusion as he realized he was in an unknown bedroom. 

Amidst his panic from the storm last night, he couldn’t remember much of what he had done. Taking a moment to orient himself, he realized he had trespassed into a stranger’s house and harassed the poor man into cuddling him, apparently. 

Heat creeped into his cheeks as flashes of his rather embarrassing behavior started to come back to him. He quickly scrambled off the bed, checking to make sure all of his clothes were in one piece, and he made his way down the stairs. 

He tried to push his wild hair down so he would look somewhat presentable when he approached the owner of the house to apologize, but nothing seemed to want to cooperate with him today. As he trudged down the last step of the staircase, he could hear the distinct snap of wood as the panels caved and he made a hole straight through the floor. 

“Fuck! This is not my fucking day!” He yelled, tugging his foot out of the crevice, and swearing again.

It was just one thing after the other wasn’t it? He had spent all of his money on plane tickets to this godforsaken island, so there was no way he was going to be able to pay to fix this.

At the noise, the presumed owner of the house came storming into the hallway from the kitchen, a spatula in hand. “Are you alright?!” he asked, and Baekhyun took that as a good sign— at least he seemed more concerned about Baekhyun’s well being than the current state of the floor. 

The man bent down to inspect his ankle, taking note of the splinters and large gash along the side of his foot. 

Baekhyun hissed. “God, is it bad?” 

The man just bit his lip. “I hope you don’t need stitches, I don’t think there is a hospital on the island, but I can at least help remove the splinters. I think have a first aid kit in my bag. Go sit at the dining table.” He ordered, rushing up the stairs, careful to avoid the gaping hole in the floor.    
  
“The table won’t cave in on me, will it?” Baekhyun mumbled sarcastically, but Chanyeol seemed to have caught it, laughing: “Honestly, I’m not sure.”

 

“So… considering how much we’ve both gone through over the past twenty-four hours, I think that warrants a name.” The two were settled at the dining table in the kitchen, Baekhyun’s foot in the taller’s lap, when Chanyeol began his interrogation. 

The boy’s cheeks burned red as he nodded softly. “Ah… right, I’m Baekhyun. Byun Baekhyun.” 

Chanyeol flicked his eyes up to Baekhyun’s face for a moment, before tending to his ankle again. “I’m Chanyeol. Are you the owner of this house?” he asked.

Baekhyun cocked his brow. “No, I’m not.  _ You’re not the owner? _ ” He gasped. “You’re trespassing!” 

Chanyeol leaned back with a snort. “And, you’re not?” 

Baekhyun shut up at that. “Then what are you doing here?”

Chanyeol continued to inspect Baekhyun’s ankle for splinters. “Same as you, I suppose…” He tried to think of an appropriate word for what he was doing on this godforsaken island, coming up blank. “Vacationing?” 

Baekhyun nodded slowly. “Well, are there any motels on the island? I was meant to just be here for the day, but I got caught in the storm last night on the way to the docks. I was told that there aren’t anymore ferries to the mainland until Monday.” 

Chanyeol simply shook his head. “I wouldn’t be here if there was a motel on the island.”

Baekhyun bit his lip, considering his options. “Then… could I stay here? Just until Monday.” He hesitated.

Chanyeol stared at the blonde for a moment, sighing.

“You seem like more trouble than you’re worth, but I suppose I couldn’t stop you from staying here if I tried.” He cracked a smile, his first one since arriving on the island. “You  _ did _ drag me to bed on our first night together.. And you’d probably beat me up if I said no. Your strength is terrifying.” 

Baekhyun was blushing once again, his face puffing up in protest. “I would not!” He used the foot in Chanyeol’s lap to his advantage so he could kick him in the stomach, but Chanyeol grabbed it just in time and squeezed it playfully. 

“Don’t try me, Byun.” 

Baekhyun smiled, pausing before looking down shyly. “I’m sorry again… about the night before. We barely know each other and I’ve already asked you for like, five favors.” 

Chanyeol ran his hand through his own hair, unsure himself how he was able to handle this much stress without exploding. He had always fit the role of the cold, short-tempered CEO back at his company; firing people left and right at the smallest mistake. “You’re kind of a handful, but I enjoy a little bit of noise I guess. Also, it’s nice to hear someone speak English after so long, so you’re not all bad.” 

Baekhyun batted his eyelashes at him. “Are you sure you’re not being nice because I’m pretty?” 

Chanyeol laughed breathlessly, a lilt of sarcasm in his tone, and he lightly hit Baekhyun’s thigh. “That’s hilarious. You’re hilarious.”

Baekhyun pouted as Chanyeol continued to laugh. The air around them was oddly light; Chanyeol had never met anyone like Baekhyun before. 

Chanyeol had felt practically untouchable back at home, but Baekhyun had kicked him, interrogated him, cuddled him,  _ and _ talked back to him. The only one who would  _ ever _ really talk back to him was his little sister; everyone else was deathly afraid of him. However, in the span of twenty-four hours Baekhyun had done much more than that without even batting an eyelash. 

Perhaps that’s what made it so much easier to talk to him. He had barged into Chanyeol’s sorry life and broken his barriers so quickly. 

Chanyeol leaned back. “Well, I made  _ ‘I’m sorry I trespassed’  _ pancakes _ , _ ” He said, pointing at the stack of fluffy cakes on the counter, “but I suppose you won’t be needing those…” he began to collect the plates off the table, but Baekhyun stopped him.

“You aren’t going to throw those away, are you?” Baekhyun’s eyes enlarged, his bottom lip sticking out pitifully. “I’m hungry, feed me. Those were going to be for me anyways, and since you’ve already made them...” 

Chanyeol rolled his eyes playfully, leaving the pancakes on the table and settling back down. This man was shameless. “Yes, your highness.” 

Baekhyun was tempted to kick him under the table again, but pancakes trumped revenge at the moment.

“So what brought  _ you _ to the island?” Chanyeol finally asked after Baekhyun had utterly devoured the pancakes. 

Baekhyun looked up excitedly, drops of syrup still hanging off the sides of his lips. “Well, I just graduated so I’ve been travelling around Europe. I heard the most beautiful sunsets happen here, because it’s the island closest to the end of the world.” 

And with that, the fact that Chanyeol owned a boat that could take Baekhyun back to the mainland completely slipped his mind. 

 

**Track 03: Super Trouper**

“Where are you going?” 

Chanyeol spun around guiltily. 

He had been planning on escaping without Baekhyun knowing, but the creaky wooden floors had betrayed him. 

The two had spent most of the morning together, and it was on the cusp of the afternoon now. He had wanted to ask if Baekhyun wanted to come along to the bar, the words on the tip of his tongue—  but he was scared they were becoming too chummy too quickly. 

“Out..?” Chanyeol responded awkwardly. 

Baekhyun bit his lip, something Chanyeol had noticed he did quite often. “Can I come with? I’ve been alone for a couple of weeks now, it would be nice to have some company this evening.”

Chanyeol’s brows relaxed. Perhaps he was being too formal, Baekhyun seemed the type to want to make fast friends. Chanyeol’s stomach churned with excitement.  “Uh, yeah, sure. I’m just going to the main square. Are you sure your foot is okay to walk?” 

Baekhyun smiled giddly. He ran out the door ahead of Chanyeol, shoes already in hand. “I’m fine! Let’s go!” 

Reaching the plaza, Baekhyun was practically bouncing. Chanyeol led them to the old bar he frequented every weekend. He supposed that Baekhyun hadn’t had a chance to see much of the town during his stay, so the bar would be a good place to start. 

“This is fucking fantastic! I love this island!” Baekhyun exclaimed, laughing along to the aggressively sensual Grecian rock music. The leader of the usual band was in Baekhyun’s face, singing a raunchy tune in horrible pitch, and it was hilarious. Chanyeol smiled, taking a sip of the fucking awful beer they had just been served. 

Even though Baekhyun didn’t know any of the words to the obscure Grecian songs they were singing, he sang along to each and every one, and it was the most hilarious things Chanyeol had ever seen.

By the fourth song of unintelligible babbling on Baekhyun’s part, the leader of the band stepped down from the stage and thrust a microphone in Baekhyun’s face. He seemed to want Baekhyun to sing, and the boy blushed. “Could I..?” 

Chanyeol nudged him under the table. “Go for it. There’s no one else here, and I’ve already seen you have like, three mental breakdowns. There’s nothing you could do that would make me judge you.” he gibed.

Baekhyun puffed his cheeks, kicking the taller under the table. Chanyeol lifted his brow, as if challenging him to take to the stage. “I’m going to do it, but not because you said that.” 

Baekhyun huffed before grabbing the microphone out of the singer’s hand and sauntering up to the stage. He lifted his eyes to the ceiling to think for a moment, before clearing his throat into the mic. Chanyeol smirked, ready for Baekhyun to embarrass himself, when he found that the result was… quite the opposite.

 

_ Tonight the super trouper beams are gonna blind me _

_ But I won't feel blue  _

_ Like I always do _

_ 'Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you. _

 

Chanyeol’s ears rang, his mind getting lost in the sound of Baekhyun’s sugar-sweet voice ringing through the bar. The younger smiled cheekily at Chanyeol at a particularly long note, barely giving the older a chance to breathe.  Chanyeol hunched over the table, wide eyes glued to the stage; he felt like Baekhyun was pulling him into his gravity. 

 

_ Still I'm thinking about you only  _

_ There are moments when I think I'm going crazy  _

_ But it's gonna be alright  _

_ You'll soon be changing everything _

_ Everything will be so different _

_ When I'm on the stage tonight _

 

Halfway into the chorus, the guitarist picked up the melody, and Baekhyun smiled, moving his hips loosely around to the beat. Chanyeol couldn’t help the rush of blood to his cheeks as Baekhyun pointed towards him while doing a bunch of extremely outdated dance moves - he’s sure he hasn’t seen some of these since the 80’s. 

Although he hadn’t known this man for long, by the ease he was dancing on the stage, Chanyeol could tell that these moves were so very  _ Baekhyun _ . 

The atmosphere in the bar shifted, seeming lighter and less dreary. Everyone (read: the three people in the bar) watched, rapt, as Baekhyun stepped down from the stage, a shy smile on his face. 

“How did I do?”

A slow smile creeped onto Chanyeol’s face, and he broke into a soft laugh as he was unable to find the right words.“Well, at least you have one redeeming quality.” He joked, tipsy. On what, though, he wasn’t sure; he had had only one beer. Baekhyun giggled, in the way that a grown man does, of course -- a high pitched, bell-like sound falling from his lips. 

Chanyeol ordered another round of for the two of them, and they naturally lapsed into conversation. “Where did you learn to sing like that? You had me fooled, acting all shy.” He asked.

Baekhyun scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. “I was in a 70’s cover band back in college, I guess I picked up a few things… As you said, it’s really my only redeeming quality. You weren’t expecting that, right?” He chuckled. 

“No. I thought you were going to embarrass yourself and I was going to hold it over you forever.”

“Hey! You said you wouldn’t judge!” Baekhyun’s face did that… that  _ thing _ it did when he was angry. His cheeks puffed up with air like a chipmunk, and his nose scrunched up like a growling dog. Chanyeol knew it should have been ugly, but he made it work. 

“I’m was kidding!” Chanyeol guffawed, his mouth falling open as he leaned in to pinch the younger’s nose. 

Baekhyun swatted his hand away dramatically, leaning his head back and away from Chanyeol’s reach. “But, I’m happy I did it, it was fun! You should come up with me next time.”

“No, I could never. You would hold that over my head forever.” Chanyeol tilted his head, eyes observing the blonde in a new light. “I’m happy you liked this place, though. I didn’t know whether you’d have the sense of humor to enjoy it.”

Baekhyun grinned widely. “This place is so adorable!” -- It really wasn’t the best, but Chanyeol nodded along anyways. -- “How long have you been here? You know seem to know all the local spots..?” Baekhyun continued.

Chanyeol snickered. “There is only one  _ ‘local spot,’ _ and it’s this one. The bartender owns it-- she’s the only English speaker on the island as far as I know. She told me that the only reason this band stays on the island is because they were kicked off the mainland for playing so horribly.” Baekhyun eyes sparkled as he laughed, and Chanyeol continued. “But, yeah, I’ve been here for three weeks-- already ‘been all over the island.”

“So you’ve seen the sunset?” Baekhyun leaned in on the table once again, practically on the edge of his seat.

“Of course. It’s beautiful, and there aren’t a lot of things that I’d call truly beautiful.” Chanyeol smiled, thinking back to his experience. “I’m confused, though. You came to see the sunset, haven’t you seen it already?” 

Baekhyun’s smile seem to fall slightly. “No, it was so cloudy yesterday, and then it rained. My plans were completely ruined.” 

Chanyeol looked at his watch. “Well, it’s still early, we could go see it if you wanted. I know a place.” 

Baekhyun’s entire demeanor seemed to brighten, and the bar brightened along with it. Chanyeol couldn’t believe that such a dull tavern could sparkle in such a color, but Baekhyun’s aura seemed to have that effect. 

 

**Track 04: I’ve Been Waiting For You**

When Chanyeol had pointed to where they would be going, he smirked mischievously as Baekhyun’s jaw practically dropped to the ground. 

There was only one windy path that went up to the vista point, and it was hike, to say the least. Chanyeol hadn’t minded, coercing Baekhyun with beautiful scenery and wonderful company, if he may say so himself. The blonde flicked his shoulder that that.

Baekhyun was panting heavily by the time they reached the highest point of the island, sweat tracing the contour of his neck and dripping down his shirt. In an attempt to distract him, Chanyeol told him how he had discovered a little abandoned temple that faced the western sea while he was hiking up to the highest point of the island. He explained that the view of the sunset from behind the quaint building was completely unobstructed, allowing him to take in the true majesty of the so-called ‘end of the world.’

Baekhyun noticed that the temple itself was a sweet little building that was falling apart at the edges, clearly needing lots of tender love and care. The place seemed more like a ruin than a temple, the ghosts of what once a lovely communion destroyed to nothing more than a graveyard. Vines dotted with little purple bluebells grew on the side of the off-white doors, and there were muddled greek scriptures ingrained on the remaining walls. Statues of Aphrodite clung to their pedestals for dear life littered the area, the only indication that this place  _ had _ been anything at all. 

Although tattered, the whole setup had an charmingly rustic feel. It was such a contrast to the metropolitan jungle that Seoul had turned into over the past few years.

The sun was just kissing the horizon when Chanyeol took Baekhyun’s wrist in his own to lead him behind the temple. The sky had turned a golden yellow, streaks of a gorgeous purples and pinks painted above them. The ocean seemed to be made of liquid gold; the waves like paint strokes.

Chanyeol had been to the top of this hill several times over the past few weeks, but there was something so different about the sight-- now that he was seeing it with someone else. The sunset was beautiful, no doubt, but there was a different sense of warmth that engulfed his body as he heard the man next to him swoon at the scene, a small gasp falling out of Baekhyun’s lips as his eyes seemed to grow misty.

It was like he was seeing the sunset anew. The coldness in his chest that always grew larger when the thought of the family that still existed on the other side of the sea had seemed to completely disappear, knowing he wasn’t alone on the island. 

After a moment of quiet contemplation between the two, Baekhyun turned to the taller. His voice came out soft, barely carrying over the wind. “Thank you, Chanyeol.” 


	2. Lay All Your Love On Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope their progression wasn't too quick... but Baekhyun only had two days on the island, so I hope that makes sense! Enjoy!

**Track 05: I Have a Dream**

On his last day on the island, Baekhyun woke up to a loud hacking noise outside his window.

There hadn’t been a storm last night, so he was relieved to finally get some much needed sleep. However, incessant pounding early in the morning had completely killed his mood, and his head had been thrown into a migraine.

Tossing the covers off his legs harshly, he stormed down the steps, careful to avoid the still-unpatched pothole at the end. He grumbled to himself, his eyes red and ready to kill if need be.

Stepping outside, a rush of cool air hit his face, relaxing his tensed muscles and soothing his headache. He took a deep breath, finally getting a chance to orient himself with his surroundings. Lifting his hand to cover his eyes from the glaring sun, he was greeted with a sight for sore eyes.

Chanyeol was just outside the farmhouse, standing in the morning heat. His shirt was nowhere to be found, and he was… _cutting wood?_

All of the curses at the tip of Baekhyun’s tongue had been swallowed back down, and he stared. Upon noticing Baekhyun standing out on the patio, Chanyeol smiled, waving at him in all his sweaty glory.

“Good morning!” His deep voice resounded through the still air. Baekhyun remained silent. “I found an axe in the basement — I thought we could use some excess wood to patch up the floor. Sorry, did I wake you?” Chanyeol asked, using his forearm to wipe the sheen of sweat off of his forehead.

Baekhyun’s legs buckled, seeming to have turned into jelly. He leant against a support beam on the patio, hoping to God it wouldn’t break under him. “No, you didn’t. Carry on.” He squeaked in a small voice, waving Chanyeol off.

The latter tilted his head in confusion, his bouncy, sweat-soaked curls bouncing at the action. He didn’t linger too long, though, simply throwing a glance in Baekhyun’s direction before returning to the task at hand.

Baekhyun let out a hough of hot air, unconsciously biting his bottom lip. Chanyeol’s abs were—dare Baekhyun say it— _rippling_ as he cut down on the wood. Chanyeol was ripped, and Baekhyun now understood how the man was able to trek all the way up to the temple without breaking a sweat. His chocolate abs were tanned by the sun, glistening as if warm oil had been freshly applied to the contours of his muscles. The sunset from the night before could barely compare. His hands itched to touch, but he held back by placing them behind his back.

“Are you feeling okay?” Chanyeol asked between strokes, his incessant hacking drawling on in the background.

“Hmm..?” Baekhyun asked lazily, fanning himself lightly. It wasn’t extremely hot out, but the sight in front of him was enough for him to feel sweat prickle at his temples. Baekhyun was brought back to reality when Chanyeol stopped hacking away at the wood completely.

“You were crying in your sleep last night, are you feeling better?” Chanyeol asked again lowly, the axe now hanging at his side.

Baekhyun startled, not expecting the sudden change of subject. He recovered quickly before replying. “Ah, yeah I… I wasn’t crying. I tend to make a lot of noises in my sleep, I guess.” His eyes drifted away, and he scratched the back of his head, flushing. “It’s stupid.”

Chanyeol left the axe in the block of wood, and leant against it. “So, my suspicions have been confirmed. You _are_ a puppy.” he joked, and Baekhyun smiled.

“Well, my suspicions are that _you,_ ” he paused, tilting his head, “seem to be in a good mood today.” he rebuked teasingly.

Chanyeol took a minute to admire Baekhyun’s profile. Baekhyun was right, he was in a particularly good mood since last night.

They had walked back to the farmhouse in the cool evening and talked about everything and anything. Chanyeol had led them back a different, slightly longer route than he had brought them, and if Baekhyun noticed then he hadn’t commented on it.

It had been years since he had had a good conversation with someone-- there always seemed to be an alternative motive to every conversation when you had money. The amount of women Chanyeol had to file restraining orders against after several years of dating only to find that they were sucking his bank account dry were too many to count.

Baekhyun was seemingly so open about his life that it had been so easy to talk about things that weren’t work or love or money; Chanyeol talked about his sister back home, his love of the beach, the book he had read that brought him to the island.

It had been during the conversation that he had realized the sad fact that he had been on his _dream_ island for several weeks, and he had spent most of his time there brooding. One would think it would be impossible to even _think_ about brooding on such a lovely island, but Chanyeol was stuck in his past, unable to move on. Within two days, Baekhyun had brought him out of his head and gave him permission to enjoy the island.

“Well, my favorite band is playing in town tonight.” He smiled widely.

“Oh?” Baekhyun cocked his brow with a smirk, knowing exactly where this was going.

 

**Track 06: Lay All Your Love On Me**

They made their way down to the bar for the second time that weekend, but there seemed to be something a little... _off_ about Baekhyun. On the way there, he seemed more contemplative and closed off than he had been the day before. He was quiet, eyes wandering off to the horizon more than once as Chanyeol had been explaining the time he went fishing on his third day here. The older had felt so much lighter that day, but he couldn’t help but feel worried over the blonde’s strange demeanor.

“Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” Chanyeol finally asked after the third song had ended.

Baekhyun looked up, his lips falling open at the suddenness of the comment. “I’m fine, why?”

“You seem sort of closed off today. I would have expected you to be dancing up on the stage by now; it’s your last night here...” His voice tapered off at the end of this statement, unsure how much he could ask before crossing a line.

Baekhyun took a deep breath before blowing into his beer bottle to make a small whistling sound. “I don’t know… I guess I’m thinking about what I’m going to do from now on.”

Chanyeol tilted his head worriedly. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I’ve spent all my money already. I was going to head back to England and stay with a friend for a while, but I missed my flight because of the storm.” Baekhyun took a sip of his beer, finding it empty. He sluggishly held it out to the taller. “I think I need something stronger.”

Chanyeol’s lips formed a thin line as he flagged down the bartender for a vodka-tonic. Guilt washed over him as he was partially responsible for Baekhyun’s mood; he had the means to take Baekhyun back to the mainland, but he hadn’t wanted to. This was all because of his _selfishness_. He was about to offer to pay for a ticket home, when Baekhyun closed his eyes for a moment; seemingly trying to find the courage to continue.

“The truth is... I’ve been running away from home. After finishing undergrad in England, I was supposed to head back to Korea. It probably sounds stupid, but my home life… it was just so _stifling_.” He shuddered, his breath coming out in puffs. “I was pushed to study all of the time, biology, chemistry, math-- when all I wanted to do was read romance novels and sing.” He looked into Chanyeol’s eyes, before chuckling at his own stupidity.

“Once I got into college, I convinced my parents to send me to England, but I don’t think they realized that I wouldn’t want to leave the literal birthplace of romantic literature,” He chuckled, but it seemed pained. “I left my parents, my home, everything… behind. And now, I don’t know whether I _can_ go back home…”

Chanyeol couldn’t help but look away. Their positions were so similar that he didn’t know whether he could say anything of value. They were both running away from their problems.

“I’m sorry for dumping all of that on you out of nowhere, alcohol makes me kind of a blabbermouth.” Baekhyun added quickly, noticing the awkward atmosphere as the bartender served their drinks.

Chanyeol berated himself for not being able to comfort the other when he was being so vulnerable. “I… I know what you mean. Honestly, you have to have been through a lot of shit to want to escape to the end of the world, you know?” He paused to think, looking up to the ceiling before continuing. “You seemed so happy. I knew it couldn’t have all been real.”

Baekhyun smirked, but the edges of his mouth held a tinge of sadness.

Chanyeol reached out to hold Baekhyun’s hands in his, a sign of reassurance. It was the least he could do. “Baekhyun… you aren’t a kid anymore. You don’t need to be under the control of your family. If you weren’t happy at home, you can give yourself permission to be happy now. Sometimes… you just need to leave the past in the past. That includes the people in it, too. I’ve realized that, recently…” He contemplated, realizing that these weren’t empty words used to comfort a sad drunk. He truly meant it.

Running away to the island had been to get away from his own stifling home life, and he realized he hadn’t truly laughed until the day this little acapella-singing-puppy marched into his life singing old 70’s songs. Chanyeol knew his work and obligations still existed in time and space, but he had decided to give himself permission to leave them across the sea with the people that had thrust them upon him.

The two lost souls continued to sit in silence, their hands threaded together, both reminiscing about very different, yet oddly, exactly the same problem.

When they finally left the bar, it was already dark. They were both about halfway to intoxication, and Baekhyun was still holding his hand. In fact, ever since he had confessed his sins to him, Baekhyun hadn’t let go of Chanyeol’s hand for even a moment.

Chanyeol observed their hands swinging back and forth through his drunken stupor. Baekhyun seemed happier than ever, humming lightly as they made their way back home.

Walking into the foyer of the farmhouse, Baekhyun stopped and turned to Chanyeol. “Thanks for today.” He paused. “And the night before…” he slurred afterwards.

Chanyeol chuckled. “It’s no problem.”

Baekhyun took a deep breath. “No, it’s just—” his eyes were tearing up, and he couldn’t stop himself. He’d like to say he was just an emotional drunk, but he was such a mess, regardless of whether he was drunk or sober.

“I’m just really—really— th-thankful for all you’ve done for me, I know it doesn’t seem like a lot but a little kindness... It goes a long way.” He wiped at it eyes with the ball of his palms. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why—”

Chanyeol’s mind blanked. This was like the third time this man had cried in front of him, and he was still at a loss for how to react. “Hey, you’re okay...” He awkwardly started, his drunkenness throwing away his tact several drinks ago. He placed his hand on Baekhyun’s head, petting his hair down in an attempt to comfort him.

Baekhyun, being Baekhyun—Chanyeol had learned—ran into his body and threw his arms around his waist. Chanyeol found himself with his hands hanging awkwardly in the air, just as they had the night before.

“Crybaby.” he mumbled, and Baekhyun laughed, but it sounded more like a sob since his voice was still raw from the tears.

When Baekhyun pulled back, they stared at each other for a moment, and the mood seemed to shift. Chanyeol’s eyes dropped down to Baekhyun’s lips, then flicked back up to his still-sparkling eyes.

However, Chanyeol’s consciousness didn’t let him make the first move, in case he was reading the mood wrong. A small wrinkle appeared on Baekhyun’s forehead, his eyebrows coming together slightly, as if he was concentrating. He placed his hands firmly on Chanyeol’s chest and got on his toes, finally tilting his head to lean closer, but never touching.

“Is this okay?” He whispered against Chanyeol’s lips. “Your eyes are still open.”

Chanyeol nodded minutely against Baekhyun’s mouth, his eyes slipping closed. Baekhyun snorted before pulling Chanyeol forward, taking his bottom lip in his own.

Chanyeol took the initiative to tilt his head, and--at that moment-- their lips seemed to come together in perfect sync. Baekhyun let out a soft moan as Chanyeol’s hands closed around his waist, fingers dropping into the back pockets of his tight-fitting jeans, pulling him closer to grind against him.

Baekhyun softly slid his hands up from Chanyeol’s chest to tug at his hair, the kiss escalating from a simple meeting of lips to a meeting of tongues and sweet, addicting saliva. Baekhyun’s eyes opened droopily as Chanyeol suckled on his tongue. Feeling a burst of affection for the man in front of him, Baekhyun broke their lips apart and leaned in to nuzzle his nose against Chanyeol’s own.

When he leaned back, Chanyeol’s eyes had darkened to charcoal, and he pushed Baekhyun against the wall of the foyer. He placed his hands under Baekhyun’s thighs, squeezing them tightly to feel the fat spill between his fingers before hiking the smaller up the wall. He spread Baekhyun’s fleshy thighs open to slot their hips at a better angle, grinding faster and faster before reaching a hand down to undo Baekhyun’s jeans.

Baekhyun growled, his ego unable to allow Chanyeol to dominate the situation. Using his hands in Chanyeol’s hair to his advantage, he pulled Chanyeol’s lips down to his neck. “Kiss me here, ‘Yeol.” The nickname slipping out naturally.

Chanyeol sprinkled kisses down his neck, biting down and sucking to break the blood vessels just underneath his skin.

Baekhyun’s eyes rolled to the back of his head as Chanyeol removed his shirt in one quick stroke so he could conquer more of his chest with his lips. He stopped finally at Baekhyun’s nipple, licking around it before sucking harshly at the tip. Baekhyun practically screamed with sensitivity, his hands falling from their position over Chanyeol’s crotch where he was trying to undo his jeans.

“Fuck! Fuck, ‘Yeol. _Shit!_ ”

Chanyeol licked his lips before leaning back, his brows furrowing. “What’s wrong?”

Baekhyun growled, tugging Chanyeol’s head back to his chest. “Don’t stop, idiot…” He whimpered, and Chanyeol smirked.

Chanyeol leaned back to remove the rest of his clothes before hiking Baekhyun back up the wall so he could continue giving attention to his deliciously pink nips.

Baekhyun’s head hit the wall softly as he moaned, arching his back harder so Chanyeol could take more of him in his mouth.

Once Chanyeol lifted his head from his chest, Baekhyun took a moment to admire the strawberry-red lips that accompanied his blown irises. “God… I want to sit on your face so badly.” he whispered dazedly.

Chanyeol’s mouth quirked into a sly smile as he pulled Baekhyun off the wall and decided to carry him up the stairs two steps at a time. He held Baekhyun close to his chest as if he was precious cargo, and Baekhyun smiled into his shoulder.

When they reached the bedroom, he slid Baekhyun into his lap, laying his head back slowly down on the bed. “Your wish is my command, your highness.” he joked.

Baekhyun bit his lip, turning around and getting on his knees to remove his boxers. He inched his way up to Chanyeol’s face and moaned softly, bending down so he could settle his pussy right on Chanyeol’s face. “Fuck… right there.” He grinded down slowly, moaning out and throwing his head back.

Chanyeol reached up to hold onto Baekhyun’s hips before giving a playful bite to Baekhyun’s plump asscheek. Baekhyun let out a surprised noise before hunching forward over Chanyeol’s body, his face landing right in front of the other’s angry red cock.

Seeing an opportunity, he settled his hands by Chanyeol’s thighs, and he licked at his cock teasingly. The taller jolted, his hips thrusting forward on instinct, and his cock smeared cum all over Baekhyun’s cheek.

“Fuck, Baekhyun…” he started to groan.

“Shh… Just keep going. I’ll take care of you.” Baekhyun adjusted his mouth around the tip of Chanyeol’s cock, dipping down then pulling back off to get used to the feel. He licked around the sides, coating it in saliva before taking it in for a final time and bobbing his head.

At a particularly pleasurable stroke of Chanyeol’s tongue, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he moaned around the taller’s cock, a mix of saliva and precum dribbling down his chin.

“Baekhyun, stop I’m--I’m close… let me prepare you.” Chanyeol rasped from under the blonde.

Baekhyun lifted off of Chanyeol’s cock, licking around the base and suckling softly as Chanyeol warned him that he was going to put the first finger in. He nodded, his hands tightening on Chanyeol’s thighs as each new finger was added, searching and scissoring until the callous tips just shied near his prostate.

Baekhyun’s voice came out high pitched, and he bit down on his lips. “Chanyeol, I want you in me already, _fuck_.”

Sensing his neediness, Chanyeol picked Baekhyun from his position on top of him, and slowly slid him down and off his chest.

He pulled Baekhyun to his chest, spooning him from behind, then kissing lazily along Baekhyun’s neck to ease him. He used his their position to his advantage and lifted baekhyun’s leg up in the air by his thigh, so he would have ample room to thrust in. After positioning himself against the younger’s hole, he lightly kissed the crown of Baekhyun’s head in warning before thrusting his cock in.

Baekhyun arched forward, moans spilling out of his open lips. It took a bit for the head to pass the tight ring of muscles, but Chanyeol continued to kiss down Baekhyun’s neck to pacify him.

“I’ve got you.” Chanyeol whispered into Baekhyun’s neck, squeezing his thigh before pushing in farther.

Thrusting in slowly but fully, he gradually set a pace. Baekhyun leaned his head back on Chanyeol’s shoulder, practically drooling from the stimulation. Chanyeol drove in harder, chasing the tightness building up in his lower abdomen.

“Yeol, just a little more, you’re almost-- _there!_ Fuck!”  Baekhyun practically screamed as Chanyeol finally reached his g-spot, slightly manhandling him to hit it over and over again--like Baekhyun was a pliant fucktoy in his arms.

Baekhyun became more and more incoherent as Chanyeol flipped them over, turning Baekhyun's stomach to the bed as he fucked him doggy-style, making sure to spread his thighs as wide as they could go in order to have ample room to thrust. The younger’s thighs jiggled, creating a vulgar smacking sound as skin met skin in the most carnal way possible.

Baekhyun’s cock smacked against his stomach over and over as Chanyeol’s cock sheathed in and out of his pussy. With each movement, the creaky bed swung forward, creating a cacophony of lewd, squeaking noises in the background of the two’s consistent moaning. Baekhyun’s moans got louder as Chanyeol finally engulfed his little cock with his long fingers, hugging him tight to his chest with his other hand. He swiped his hand up and down Baekhyun’s cock in a persistent motion, matching his thrusts to the T. Baekhyun’s voice lilted, heightening to pitches that only a singer could conquer.

Finally, Chanyeol bent down to whisper in Baekhyun’s ear, allowing Baekhyun’s come coat his hand, as he spilled his own seed into him. He unsheathed himself, falling back onto the bed, letting Baekhyun’s head rest on the empty expanse of his sweaty chest.


	3. Slipping Through My Fingers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to arianna for really coming in clutch at the end of this chapter, I couldn't have done it without you!

**Track 07: One of Us**

When Baekhyun awoke, he felt like he was lying on a cloud. He had never felt so rested, falling into a dreamless sleep right after his orgasm hit him like a tidal wave. Chanyeol’s arm was loosely resting around his waist; rough, calloused fingers just touching the soft skin of his tummy.

Humming contentedly, Baekhyun closed his eyes. The tight muscles around his eyes came undone as he leaned back into Chanyeol’s embrace. There was a moment of silence where only the white noise of waves crashing against the shore reigned over his ears, when a thought intruded on his mechanical peace.

“The ferry.” He whispered, his eyes snapping open. Every muscle in his body tensed, his stomach dropping. 

It was Monday, and the ferry would be leaving for the mainland, if it hadn’t already left. Baekhyun leapt out of bed, his heavy steps echoing through the house as he made his way down the creaky stairs. He meant to grab his suitcase from the floor, when he realized he had dropped all of his clothes from the night before on the way up to the room. He pressed his nails into his palms, his breath coming out in puffs, unsure if he had the time to locate his lost clothes before leaving. His mind hazed over with worry, but he couldn’t pinpoint the reason for his panic; in fact, did he still want to leave the island? 

Leaving the island was the plan, but plans could change, right? _Had_ his plans changed? 

His head throbbed, his brain feeling like it was short-circuiting. In that moment, a series of creaking noises pressed against the exhausted wood on the second floor. Baekhyun turned towards the sound, his entire world in slow motion. 

Chanyeol had woken up. His hair was sticking up in all the wrong places, and there was a line of drool dripping down his lips, but he still looked as good as the day Baekhyun had woken up to him cutting wood on the porch.

“Where are you going?” Chanyeol’s voice, rasped from sleep, called from the landing of the stairs. His muscles flexed tiredly as his arms crossed over his chest.

The tell-tale feeling of his heart dropping to his stomach was all Baekhyun needed to realize he had made a massive mistake. He watched as the expressions on Chanyeol’s face changed one by one, his brows furrowing, his mouth dropping in realization.

“You’re leaving.” It was a statement, and even if it had been a question, Baekhyun didn’t have an answer. 

“My—my ferry… I have to go,” Baekhyun blurted out, despite the millions of thoughts racing through his mind. Out of the millions of things he could have said, _could have expressed,_ he picked the stupidest one. He bit his lip, trying his best to meet Chanyeol’s eyes.

“You don’t _have_ to do anything, Baekhyun. You _want_ to go.” He paused, his fingers pressing against his temples in frustration.

Baekhyun took a step towards the staircase, avoiding the hole in the floor that was still left unrepaired. 

“Chanyeol, I—”

Chanyeol stopped him from continuing, running his hand through his hair roughly. “No, sorry. This is your choice. I don’t know what came over me.” He laughed exasperatedly. “We’re strangers.” 

A sharp pain stifled Baekhyun’s chest, the rims of eyes running red. He had divulged everything to Chanyeol the night before — this one man knew more about him than anyone else on the planet. That had to be significant, this man needed to be a part of his life, but he was letting all of it slip through his fingers. 

“You know what, let me— let me just take you down to the docks, make sure you get off this island, yeah?” Chanyeol implored, his words coming out more and more aggressively. He crossed the threshold of the landing, and padded down the stairs. Baekhyun was unable to catch the elder’s eyes to plead him to stay.

Chanyeol picked his shirt up off of the floor before walking out the door, not even checking behind him to see if Baekhyun was following. 

Baekhyun held onto the handle of his suitcase in a death-like grip, trailing behind the older man awkwardly, the only sound between them being his suitcase dragging against the gravel on the road. His mind was everywhere at once, analyzing his plans and how they contrasted with what he truly wanted. The blonde was about a minute away from crying out from frustration at this point, unsure how to make the situation better. 

The island had brought him so many good memories in such a short time; he had _never_ felt so accepted for who he was. He had met the one person who made him feel like he had the right to be happy. Chanyeol had accepted all of his clumsiness, had taken care of him and all of his baggage without asking for anything in return -- he was just what Baekhyun needed to repair his broken heart.

Baekhyun was going to throw all of that away, and for what? What did he even hope to achieve by going back to the mainland? He wasn’t sure.

When they reached the dock, Baekhyun was still contemplating how he could tell Chanyeol that this was a mistake, that he didn’t want to leave… not anymore, at least. But, when they arrived, it seemed as if fate had spoken for him. The ferry had already left. It was already halfway across the channel.

Baekhyun’s eyebrows relaxed. He had another chance, he just needed to make it up to the other. “Well... I guess I’ll have to stay for a while more.” He mumbled, desperately trying to hold back a smile-- when he noticed that Chanyeol still wasn’t turning to look at him. Baekhyun was about to reach out to grab his hand in his own, when he heard the other mumbling lowly. 

Baekhyun dragged his suitcase closer to the taller, closing the distance between them in an instant. 

“What did you say?”

“ _No_ , you don’t have to stay.” Chanyeol barked louder this time, emphasizing each word as if he was trying to get the information through the other’s thick skull. 

Baekhyun’s smile dropped. “What do you mean..?”

“I… I have a boat. I can take you to the mainland.” Chanyeol stated, his eyes unable to meet the smaller’s. Baekhyun paused, taking a moment to let the information to sink in, bewildered. 

Chanyeol, taking his silence as a confirmation, stalked off past Baekhyun and towards the private docks without another word.

“What you do you mean you have a boat?” He shouted, trying to compete with the sound of the ocean, the wind, and the seagulls. 

Baekhyun stormed after the man, barely catching up before pulling him back by the sleeve to stop him in his tracks. _“What. The. Hell,”_ he emphasized with a growl. Chanyeol seemed to back down, unable to look into Baekhyun’s interrogating eyes. 

“I’m sorry, okay! I could have taken you to the mainland that first day, but I didn’t. Sue me!” He exploded, his big, angel eyes tearing up. “I hadn’t talked to anybody in weeks, and you… you…” He stopped. “Just forget it. Get on the boat.”

The corners of Baekhyun’s lips pulled down unconsciously, his mind working to process all of the new information being thrown at him. Hence, Baekhyun did what he did best. He compartmentalized. 

Chanyeol wanted him to stay. He had a boat. He could have taken Baekhyun back to the mainland. He had a _boat_ , and he was going to take Baekhyun _back to the mainland_ , _even though he wanted him to stay._ All of the information came together perfectly like a puzzle, and Baekhyun could not believe he was about to decide to stay with an idiot of a thirty-year-old. “Park _fucking_ Chanyeol, you stop right there! I am not getting on that boat!”

Chanyeol snorted bitterly while letting down the mast. “Why? Is it not up to your standard, your highness? Do you need me to carry you?”

Baekhyun’s face grew red with anger. He marched onboard, using the instability of the boat to his advantage in order to tackle Chanyeol to the ground. Falling on top of him was a lot more painful than cool-looking, but he couldn’t have cared less at the moment. 

“I will kill you right now Chanyeol, or so help me _God_. I don’t want to go to the mainland!” He shouted, his fingers pinching Chanyeol’s ears and spreading them apart, as if that would make him hear better. “I want to stay here, you idiot!” 

Chanyeol paused his movements, his eyebrows scrunching in confusion. “What the hell are you talking about? You were so ecstatic just now to get to the ferry!”

Baekhyun breathed heavily above Chanyeol for a moment, watching him with a hawk-like gaze. He then leaned back on his haunches slightly, placing his weight on Chanyeol’s stomach as he sighed resignedly. He looked up at the clouds, trying to find the words he wanted to say. “I thought that… I thought that I had to leave, but when I saw you…” He looked down again, lifting his hand to trace Chanyeol’s features with his finger, slowly. “...I realized that I have more to gain by staying here.” 

Chanyeol stared up at the sky for a moment, allowing Baekhyun to continue tracing his features distractedly. “You aren’t going to ask… why I didn’t tell you before? About the boat?” he asked, his voice soft. 

Baekhyun thought for a moment, tilting his head. “I’d like to think… Something told you I needed to stay. Now I think I need to stay, too, so it all worked out. I try not to sweat the little things.” 

He thought back to the farmhouse, to the island, to the legend. Although he was already in his mid-twenties, he had foolishly believed in a children’s tale; but it had brought him to the exact place that he needed to be. 

Chanyeol placed his hands on the dips of Baekhyun’s waist, stroking lightly. “That’s a nice sentiment.”

Baekhyun smiled at the sky, his emotions amok. “What? Did you think I was going to say you kidnapped me and that I want to be as far away as possible from you?” He gibed, and Chanyeol squeezed his hips in warning.

“God, do you have Stockholm syndrome?” The elder asked, chuckling. 

“I _will_ slap you, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun simply mumbled in reply, energy draining by the second.   

They sat in silence, just thinking about the stir of emotions that had been the last two days. Chanyeol relaxed his hands on Baekhyun’s hips, slowly drawing circles on the exposed skin. Baekhyun quite liked that about Chanyeol, he was pensive, and didn’t need to fill every silence with conversation.

“Do you want to go for a ride?” 

Baekhyun took back his words. He scoffed, hitting Chanyeol’s chest lightly. “My ass is still sore! God, is that what you were thinking about?” 

Chanyeol gave him an incredulous look, before his eyes bugged out and his mouth rounded. “No! Oh my God, I meant on the boat!”

Baekhyun laughed, his nose scrunching up and his cheek fat folding up in the most adorable way. “I can’t believe you. Sure, we’re here, anyways.” 

Chanyeol got up, pulling Baekhyun closer in his lap. He rested his forehead against the younger’s. “Thank you, Baekhyun.”

 

**Track 08: Our Last Summer**

The water was clear and serene -- Baekhyun had seen it the first day on the island, but now that Kalokairi was to become his _home_ , the view felt different. It felt like his head was filled with cotton. 

He leaned off the edge of the boat, watching the crystal water hit the boat while Chanyeol made sure all of the mechanics were working. After a moment, he joined Baekhyun by the ledge.

“How are you feeling? I can still drop you off on the mainland, you know,” he joked, and Baekhyun elbowed him.

“I’m staying here whether you like it or not.” He stated with a pout, stubbornly steadfast. He rested his chin against the railing.

“I know. You’re the kind of person who’ll do whatever he wants no matter the consequences, even if it means barging into a poor man’s home and tormenting him into cuddling you,” Chanyeol smiled, and Baekhyun squinted at him.

“Would you let that go already?” He huffed, deciding to leave the giggling giant at the railing as he went down to explore the lower deck. 

It was a welcome change to not have the floor squeaking under him as he descended the stairs into the shaded lower deck. Opening the cabin door, he realized that the place was a mess. There were unopened boxes and luggage spilled over in every corner, trinkets of different sizes awkwardly pushed to the middle of the room by the rocking of the boat. There seemed to be a bed and couch tucked away underneath all of the stuff, but it would take hours before he’d be able to clear the room enough to know. It seemed that Chanyeol had picked up his entire life and brought it with him to the island. 

Baekhyun rested his hand on a nearby table and picked up dust on his fingers. He realized that Chanyeol had known that he was coming here to stay, when he himself hadn’t. Baekhyun knew he had always been more on the spontaneous side; every single decision he had made thus far had been in the heat of the moment. 

He wondered if Chanyeol could help ground him. 

Lost in his musings, he didn’t he notice the black guitar case lying on the floor before he practically tripped over it. Gathering his bearings, he kneeled down to unlock the case, and it came undone with a small click. He marvelled at the instrument. It was an expensive model, yellow with cherry-red writing on the exterior. He carefully picked the guitar up by its body and neck, cradling it close to him before navigating himself around the clutter and back up to the main deck.

“What’s this?” He asked coyly, approaching Chanyeol slowly. 

The latter turned around from where he was still observing the sparkling water, to see his old acoustic guitar in Baekhyun’s hands. His mouth rounded for a beat, before he approached the younger apprehensively.

“I used to play a bit… I guess I thought I’d have some time to play while I was on the island, but I never even took it out.” He marvelled at the old guitar, slowly taking it out of the other’s hands.

Baekhyun’s eyebrow lifted curiously. “Well… It’s out now…?” He sing-songed with a suggestive tone. 

Chanyeol bit his lip-- smiling coyly. 

“I could try to play something, I guess.” He relented, gripping the neck of the guitar firmly before leaning back on the ledge. The feel of the guitar seemed so familiar, but he hadn’t played in years. His job had taken over his entire life, he had very little time for anything else. 

Baekhyun took a seat next to him on the ledge, eagerly watching as Chanyeol tuned the guitar with prowess.  “Do you have any requests?” The elder asked.

Baekhyun looked out onto the pearl-white boat, thoughtful. “Something familiar?” He suggested.

The corner of Chanyeol’s lips lifted as he began a soft melody, and Baekhyun smiled, humming along to the tune. He couldn’t quite remember all of the lyrics, but Chanyeol thought his voice was beautiful nonetheless. It was like butter, melting around the chords and making his rusty playing sound almost professional.

 

_You talked of politics, philosophy and I_

_Smiled like Mona Lisa_

_We had our chance_

_It was a fine and true romance_

_We took the chance_

_Like we were dancing our last dance._

 

They spent most of their time like that, shoulder to shoulder as Chanyeol played and Baekhyun sang. They were almost a perfect duo. 

When they got back to the farmhouse later that evening, they were both drenched, laughing.

“I can’t believe you jumped in the water!” Chanyeol exclaimed, practically drunk on laughter.

“There was a dolphin! I couldn’t help it.” Baekhyun replied, running his hand through his wet hair. 

“Well, you didn’t need to drag me into it!” Chanyeol guffawed, wringing his wet clothes out onto the floor.

“Well, do you regret it?” Baekhyun asked, a spark of mischievousness in his eyes. 

Chanyeol paused, rolling his eyes. “No, but are _you_ going to do the laundry? Grecian style with all of the clips and strings?” He refuted, snaking an arm around Baekhyun’s back, pulling him in to pinch his cheek with his other hand. 

Baekhyun batted the elder’s hand from his face, arching in his hold. “Fine, I can do the laundry, and you can fix up the hole in the floor. We can play house,” he smiled widely, showing off his canines, staring into Chanyeol’s sparkling eyes daringly. 

There was something about Chanyeol’s eyes; the way he was looking at him-- full of mirth, and... something else. In a split second, one of _those_ moods came about again. The air felt heavy; thick with a certain magnetism between them _._ Chanyeol met Baekhyun’s hooded eyes head on, but he wouldn’t dare make a move.

Baekhyun huffed, realizing Chanyeol wouldn’t give in. He stepped on Chanyeol’s toes in a small revenge, and pulled him down by the neck. 

When their lips met, it was wet and salty, but Baekhyun licked his lips anyways. Chanyeol pulled him in closer, cupping his plump butt in his palms. The kisses were soft, Baekhyun pulling him in again and again like he needed Chanyeol’s kisses to breathe. 

After a moment of breathing against Baekhyun’s lips to calm himself down, Chanyeol pulled away. Noticing the annoyed look on Baekhyun’s face, he leaned in to kiss his forehead, then his nose in apology.

“We should stop, you’re still recovering from last night.” Chanyeol began, but Baekhyun wasn’t having it, his face pinched, obviously irked.

“Why won’t you ever kiss me first? You’re also always the first to pull away. What do you have to lose by being intimate with me? There’s no one but us on this island, and I want you.” He proclaimed, forcefully making the taller’s eyes meet his own. 

Chanyeol looked miffed for a moment, his mouth scrunching into a thin line, before he wrapped his arms around Baekhyun’s head to pull him into a hug. He let out a long, drawn out breath. “I’m so much older than you, I don’t want to pressure you into anything you don’t want. I want you to make all the decisions.” 

Baekhyun seemed to pause for a moment, blinking intermittently. Finally, he leaned up to peck Chanyeol’s soppy chin. “You better stop acting all gentlemanly before I fuck around and fall for you.” He whispered, his tone low.

Chanyeol smiled, smoothing his palms down Baekhyun’s back before pulling him up and onto his chest from his drenched thighs, Baekhyun’s legs naturally crossing behind Chanyeol’s back. “Let’s get you washed up.” 

He led them up the stairs, settling him in the old bucket style shower. Once Chanyeol had run the olive oil shampoo through his hair, he brought Baekhyun back to the bed in the master bedroom. Chanyeol sat down next to him on the bed, and began ruffling a towel through the younger’s damp hair. 

“You’re too nice.” Baekhyun stated, closing his eyes to protect himself from the rapid movements of the towel. “Too handsome. Someone will take advantage of you.” 

Chanyeol smiled, his laugh coming out breathy. He pulled the towel out of his hair. “Are you sure it’s not the other way around?” He asked. 

Baekhyun blew a raspberry, plopping his head soundly on the pillow. “I’m sure.” he whispered, letting sleep’s awaiting arms envelope him.

 

**Track 09: Slipping Through My Fingers**

_That day had been the start of a new life Baekhyun had only dreamt of in the past._ Every morning, he woke up in Chanyeol’s arms, before getting up to do the laundry while the other made breakfast. They would spend the afternoon together; sometimes in the den while the taller repaired the floor, and sometimes outside so Baekhyun could admire him as he cut more wood. 

Baekhyun even managed to get a job singing at the bar. It didn’t pay much, but he was happy he was doing something he actually enjoyed, rather than being stuck in a hospital. Chanyeol would watch him from the same table every night, and Baekhyun always felt safe and secure with his number one supporter in the audience.

 _They hadn’t labeled their relationship until about month four,_ when the two were stargazing at their spot, behind the old, ruined temple. However, their session had turned into more of a -- “Baekhyun stargazing while Chanyeol stared at him” session.

The younger noticed his obvious ogling, letting out a relaxed breath before rolling onto his side, leaning over to smooch the taller’s cheek. Chanyeol grabbed his hips tightly, pulling him in close. Using that to his advantage, Baekhyun climbed into his lap. 

After a moment of admiring one another, the younger bent down and whispered - _I know you’ll never ask, so… will you be mine?_

Chanyeol’s eyes bulged out, surprised at the sudden proposition. But, it hadn’t really been sudden, had it? It had been months in the making. Chanyeol kissed him immediately, biting the Baekhyun’s lip and pulling, letting out a low whisper of _yes._ They made love for the first time that night under the stars, to the symphony of the waves crashing against the rocks at the foot of the cliff. 

 _The farmhouse was completely repaired by month nine._ Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun’s thin wrist in his own, dragging him outside of the house to show him his handiwork. Baekhyun giggled as Chanyeol picked him up, spinning him around and kissing him fully on the lips. It was their _home_ now. 

 _By month sixteen, Chanyeol gathered Baekhyun his arms bridal style and took him up to the temple as the sun set behind them._ He pulled him down the makeshift aisle, in between the old statues of Aphrodite, slipping a ring on his finger. Baekhyun leaned up on his toes to kiss Chanyeol again, slyly slipping the other ring of the pair on his finger in the process. 

 _By month twenty-two, Baekhyun woke up alone in bed, bile in his throat._ It was slowly becoming an everyday occurrence; him waking up by the rush of stomach acid rather than soft kisses on his shoulder. He had an inkling as to what was causing all of this, though— the irritability, the cravings, the sudden outbursts of tears. Baekhyun would have revelled in the reality of it, after all it had been something that they would have wanted eventually. It was too bad that the only hands holding the bump— the barely there bump, would be his own.

Especially after Chanyeol had left, without so much as a note, all those weeks ago.


	4. Does Your Mother Know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody! I'm sorry it took so long for me to update.. I was traveling. I hope that the plot clears up as different things are revealed. This is more of an opening chapter to the rest of their lives and a tumultuous navigation of feelings. I hope you enjoy, and enjoy baby Sehunnie! 
> 
> also, a "rando" is like a random person or stranger!
> 
> Also oh my god- i can’t believe i forgot to mention this. In the beginning of the fic, Baekhyun is 22, and chanyeol is 29 (almost thirty- so baek sometimes rounds up to make fun of him).

**Track 10: My Love, My Life**

Coming back to the island after four years, Chanyeol was almost giddy with excitement. He had missed the sunshine and the ocean-- sights that could barely be seen in metropolitan Seoul. 

Approaching the dock, the ferry was a familiar sight. Chanyeol ran to catch it before it left for the morning, knowing that it waited for no man. Sitting on the crowded ferry, he thought back to how he left his old boat with… _Baekhyun_ , hoping that it would be of some use to him. He wondered if he ever used it, or if it had just left a bitter taste in his mouth from his departure. 

He looked out onto the teal blue water and considered his doom. It was a pretty peaceful day, despite the storm currently raging in his chest. 

The ferry was quite crowded in contrast to the last time he had been here. There were people from all over the world, with cameras around their necks and rolling bags in their hands. He knew that coming back would be different, but he hadn’t gauged how much the island would have changed. 

It was almost like he wished it would have been stuck in time the day he had gone back to Seoul. He fingered at the ring that was hung around his neck; rubbing the pads of his fingers against it had always given him a little comfort. Arriving at the docks was a crowded affair, but he was left with the one comfort that he’d at least be able to navigate the island comfortably. 

He was wrong.

Hiking up the trail to the farmhouse was almost unfamiliar to him now. There was a new road in place of the old dirt road— the one he had traveled down so many times with Baekhyun by his side. Their footprints had been practically embedded in the old road; now all of their memories were covered by tar and concrete. He sighed, pulling his bags up the hill, hoping that he would at least recognize the old farmhouse. 

He contemplated what he would say if he saw Baekhyun there. Would he be happy to see him? Would he slap him? Would he even still _be_ there? There was a high possibility he had left after being left alone. Even if he wasn’t there, Chanyeol was determined to seek him out. After fighting for his freedom so long in Seoul, he knew wouldn’t be able to live another day without seeing his husband.

The only thing that was able to shake him out of this thoughts was his arrival at the meadow where the farmhouse used to be.

He had been planning on staying in the farmhouse once again, but it seemed that the original owners had already reclaimed it. Gravel crunched under his feet as he finally approached the building, but where there used to be the little stump where he would cut wood shirtless - mostly for Baekhyun’s enjoyment - there was now a little sign, stating it was now called the Dolphin Inn. 

The place seemed as run down as ever, but it still had that adorable rustic charm that Chanyeol had seen in it years ago. It seemed that he was not the only one who saw potential in the place, as there were several tourists loitering about the garden.

Weaving his way through the crowd, he approached the steps leading up to the entrance, noticing that the repairs he had made in the floor were still there, even if they had been covered up by aqua colored paint. He smiled briefly, a small sense of relief at the fact that not all of his time here had been forgotten by the island.

He noted that the foyer had been converted into a reception, and Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel his heart drop in his chest as he looked around. The ghost of Baekhyun and his’ love had started right here; he had pushed Baekhyun against the wall and kissed him like it would kill him to be apart from the younger even for a moment. 

Chanyeol stood there in silence, taking in the new paint on the wall; the new paintings of the seaside. If the rightful owners _had_ really come back, Baekhyun would have had to leave, if not worse. His adam’s apple bobbed slowly, his teeth biting down on his bottom lip. He would never forgive himself if something had happened to the younger. He would need to find the owner of the inn, hopefully they could give him a better idea of what had transpired after he left. 

Pulling out his wallet, he approached the counter, noticing that there was no receptionist. He leaned against the cool granite, intending to ring the little call-bell, when he spotted a small child behind the receptionist’s desk.

The kid was adorable. He couldn’t have been more than two or three years old, his curly black hair just falling over his chubby face. His fingers were barely able to hold on to the edge of the desk, and he stared at Chanyeol with sleepy eyes. 

“Do you stay here, mister?” The kid gurgled, surprisingly, in English.

Chanyeol leaned his chest further on the table, smiling down at the child. He knew his smile was a little… overwhelming, but he hoped he wouldn’t scare the kid off. “I’m hoping to. Where are your mommy and daddy?” he asked.

The kid looked up at him weirdly, pursing his lips. “Daddy said he help pretty lady….” The boy smiled as he finally was able to reach the counter with his fingertips, before everything went downhill. Chanyeol saw the way his fingers slipped off the table as if it was in slow motion, and the boy went tumbling down and onto the hard, wood floor. Chanyeol left his luggage and stalked around the table worriedly. He knelt down to pick him off the floor, when he saw the little boy’s face scrunch up and the telltale signs of a pout on his lips. Chanyeol sat there, frozen, unable to stop the inevitable. 

In that moment, the boy started to sniffle, his eyes watering. “I want daddy!” 

Chanyeol could do nothing but stare like a deer in headlights. He was _really_ useless at this. He looked around, but all the busy wedding-goers seemed to be just ignoring the fact that there was a crying toddler in the room. Chanyeol grimaced, realizing he’d have to put searching for Baekhyun off for another time. He pulled the crying boy into his arms. 

“Shh… Shh… Now…” He cooed awkwardly, but that only seemed to make the boy wail louder. “You’re okay… Does it hurt?” He doubted a fall from approximately zero feet would hurt too much, but the kid nodded, soppy tears running down his face. Chanyeol used his thumbs to softly wipe the boys tears, and rubbed his back. “C’mon now… you’re a big boy, you’re fine…” He attempted again, but the boy refused to calm down.

  
“I wanna go to Daddy!” He exclaimed again, and Chanyeol grimaced. There was no way he could leave the little kid alone, so he was left with the only other option - finding his father. 

“To Daddy we go, then.” He mumbled to himself, grunting as he picked the boy up to rest him against his hip. He brought him up from behind the table, going up to the first fatherly-looking man amongst the crowd. 

“Hello, do you know whose kid this is?” He asked, slowly bouncing the crying baby in his arms. The man’s eyebrows scrunched, eyes looking at Chanyeol like he was stupid, before gruffly replying. 

“Isn’t he the inn owner’s son? The owner’s down at the reception, I believe, helping set up my daughter’s wedding.” He replied in broken English. 

Chanyeol was intrigued by this new information. If the kid was the key to finding the owner, that could give him some leads about Baekhyun’s whereabouts, too. “Of course, thank you so much… but, um, may I ask where the reception is being held?” 

This time, the man smiled. “Do you know the temple on top of the hill _?_ ” Chanyeol pursed his lips, thinking of the hike up to the temple. The memories that the farmhouse triggered were hard enough to deal with, was he ready to go back up to the temple? He supposed he was being a coward, _he_ was the one who had left, not Baekhyun. Nodding, he thanked the man before heading off with the sniffling boy in his hands.

Stalking down the familiar path towards the town square, he noticed heaps of people in suits and dresses walking up and down the hill. He had never seen the place so lively-- so the man had been telling the truth about the wedding.

Chanyeol thought back to his own wedding at the temple. He remembered his arms were about to give out from carrying his love all the way up to the top, but it was so worth it to see Baekhyun giggling as he finally put on the ring and leaned in to kiss him. Their secret wedding wasn’t officiated by anyone, but it was still so _real_ to them. He just wished he could have kept his promises. 

The town square had changed a lot since he was last here, more shops had sprung up and gift shops full of little trinkets littered the pathway. He was happy to see that the island had gained a little color over the years, but the fantasy of the island being _theirs_ — his and Baekhyun’s— had been lost. 

Just then, a small hand smacked his cheek, in an attempt to cup his cheek, he supposed. Chanyeol had almost forgotten the little boy in his arms, who had seemed to finally calm down a bit. “Mister, why you sad?” The boy asked, as if he had not been crying for the past fifteen minutes. Toddlers worked in mysterious ways.

Chanyeol pulled the boy closer to him, having not realized that his emotions were showing on his face so clearly. Perhaps children were as perceptive as people say. “Don’t worry about it, squirt.” He mumbled, before he had a realization. “You know, you never told me your name.” 

The boy looked at him, his lips pursed, as if he was deciding whether Chanyeol was worthy of learning his name. “I’m Sehun. I’m three.” He said, holding up a free hand with the number on his fingers. Chanyeol didn’t ask, but apparently toddlers were privy to oversharing. “Daddy calls me Hunnie…” He pouted, his eyes misting over once again, as if thinking about being without his Daddy for another moment physically pained him, and Chanyeol was not about to deal with another round of waterworks. 

“Hey… Hunnie is such a pretty name. Listen, don’t be sad. What’s your Daddy’s name?” He tried a distraction.

The boy seemed to think again, tilting his head before replying. “Daddy’s name… is Daddy though?”

Chanyeol’s eyes lit up with mirth. This was going to be a long trip.

As they passed by the bustling town square, Chanyeol finally located the old trail that led up to the temple. He noticed that it had been converted into a smooth road, and a cord of fairy lights was strung up on a set of street lamps, illuminating the way up. He took a minute to take the scene in, realizing every little thing about the island had changed so much while he was away.

When he finally found the courage to make his way up the trail, the sun was already on the horizon. It would take about thirty minutes to get to the top; just in time for the sunset. Sehun reached his hands up as they walked, just barely fingering the lights with the pads of his fingers, a big smile on his face. The lights reflected bouncy shadows on the contour of his chubby cheeks, and he laughed, asking to be held up higher. Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile, bringing Sehun up from his waist and pulling him up onto his shoulders so he could see the lights better. He made sure to anchor his arms around the toddler’s legs, hoping to God that he wouldn’t fall. With Sehun distracted, he was able to bask in his thoughts about Baekhyun until they got closer to their destination. 

The pathway seemed straight out of a fairytale, and a small part of him wished he could have done something like this for his own husband on their own wedding day. 

As they finally approached the peak of the hill, Sehun gasped above him, seemingly taking in the scene. Chanyeol heard a small _wow_ coming from the little one’s mouth, and he couldn’t help but agree. The temple looked completely renovated; there weren’t vines climbing the sides anymore, and one could finally make out the carvings ingrained in the sides of the columns. However, the scene was simply a foreground to the beautiful sunset that was just overhead. The sky looked like it should be painted on the most prestigious temples, colors whipping between golds, pinks, and purples. 

Chanyeol could hear faint 70’s music playing as people ran around setting up. The evening was lively, sounds of chatter and music complimenting the ambience, a complete contrast to the silence that used to shroud the island when it was devoid of tourists. And yet, he couldn’t help but feel a bout of nostalgia hitting him like an oncoming train as the song continued to play. 

 

_Like an image passing by, my love, my life,_

_In the mirror of your eyes, my love, my life,_

_I can see it all so clearly._

_All our love so dearly._

 

It was one of the songs that Baekhyun used to sing him to sleep at night when they lived together on the island. He remembered this song distinctly, because it was the one he had sung in between their whispers of love after they had spent their first night together as a married couple. He could still feel the tickle of the words softly caressing his ears as he closed his eyes, exhaustion having enveloped him after their thorough lovemaking session. Baekhyun’s voice had been especially soft and tender that night, his overpowering love and warmth engulfing him as he drifted off to sleep. 

Lost in thought, the sun finally disappeared behind the temple, and the fairy lights illuminated brighter to chase away the dark. With the sun gone, his hope that he would find Baekhyun on the island started to die down as well -- his lungs compressing suddenly. His chest felt as if one hundred tonnes of lead were resting on top of it. 

He was about to ask someone - anyone - where he could find the _damn_ owner of the inn, so he could find where the bastard had sent Baekhyun -- so he could finally catch his breath, when they heard a voice call out to them. 

“Hunnie? Is that you, Baby?” A sweet voice called from behind them, a little suspicion in his tone. Chanyeol closed his eyes, basking in the way that the familiar tenor dripped like honey into his ears. He had been longing to hear that voice for four years now, and it was still as melodious as ever. Chanyeol gripped Sehun’s legs in his own to secure him, before gaining the courage to turn around. 

Upon seeing Chanyeol holding his baby, the bouquet of flowers that Baekhyun had been holding toppled to the ground, the petals falling all around them. 

Chanyeol could barely breathe. 

Baekhyun was exactly as Chanyeol had remembered, from his silky, blonde hair to those soulful eyes that were so full of life. He looked slightly older now, the baby fat from his cheeks having finally melted, but he still looked so beautiful. 

There were petals in his hair from the fallen bouquet-- one sticking to the apple of his cheek. Chanyeol’s hands itched to reach out and remove them, but he painstakingly held back, squeezing Sehun lightly in his hold. 

The moment was broken when the toddler on his shoulders tugged on his hair, asking to be let down. Chanyeol placed him down carefully, allowing the little one to run to his… his _dad_.

The information hardly registered as he continued to stare at the two. Baekhyun received Sehun in his arms, cooing at him and hugging him close. They looked perfect together, Sehun’s chubby arms clasped around Baekhyun’s neck as the latter smiled and buried his nose in his baby’s hair. A pulsing wave of longing tugged at Chanyeol’s chest.

“Baekhyun...” was all that Chanyeol could muster, but Baekhyun’s brows furrowed, clearly displeased with the turn of events. 

 

**Track 11: The Winner Takes it All**

Baekhyun had been in his element just moments before. He was doing what he did best - ordering around bridesmaids. 

When he had opened the Dolphin Inn, he thought his guest list would consist of a few honeymooners getting away for the weekend, but as the Grecian islands became a hot stop for tourists over the years; it turned out every little girl in Europe wanted to get married in the temple at the peak of the Kalokairi. Baekhyun had hosted wedding party after wedding party, eventually competing with new inns by helping plan the weddings himself. 

Being a biology major in college, he hadn’t realized that he would eventually find his calling in _wedding planning_ of all things, but he _had_ always loved romance novels, and he felt immense gratification in getting to create the ‘happily ever afters’ for young brides, even if his story hadn’t ended the same way. 

Of course, after years of experience, Baekhyun knew that no wedding day was complete without at least one debacle. The florist from the mainland had been held up that day because of the storm, and she had just made it to the island that morning. Baekhyun had been rushing around, bouquets upon bouquets of expensive purple orchids in hand to try and get all of the decorations in before the bride and her wedding party arrived at the top of the hill. 

Baekhyun was usually ready for every obstacle that came his way in his new wedding planner job - four years had hardened and experienced him. However, there was just one obstacle he was not ready to deal with.

He never thought he would _ever_ see his son with his other father in his _life_. When Chanyeol had left him four years ago, he knew that Sehun was all he would have from then on. Seeing Sehun happily sitting on Chanyeol’s shoulders, pulling at his bouncing curls made him rethink everything he had taught himself -- a sudden tugging of want pulling at his belly. _Their_ song played in the background as he took in the scene in front of him, and the want to be close to Chanyeol, and the want to have him in his life all filled his chest at once-- and he despised himself for it.

“What the hell are you doing here? And why are you with my son?” He hissed, eyes focused stubbornly on the floor and not up at the other man. It was a risk he wasn’t willing to take, not wanting to possibly rekindle any lingering feelings he had for his ex-husband. 

After all, if Chanyeol had left once, he could always leave again.

“Your son? Baekhyun, what…?” Baekhyun heard him say, in that same gravelly voice that had haunted his dreams for 1,460 days. He was the same man who walked out of his life four years ago, the same man who abandoned him, like it was nothing.

Like _he_ meant nothing.

Baekhyun was not going to stand and wait around any longer for a man who never found him worth it in the first place. He’s waited for four years, and that was enough. He bundled Sehun in his arms, turning towards the car before stomping away.

“Baekhyun, please wait!” Chanyeol called out from behind him, but he refused to stop. Disgust seemed to be the only emotion he could muster around his ex-husband, the edges of his eyes burning red -- unable to stop the tears falling from his eyes. He yanked the car door open with one hand, buckling Sehun in his booster seat.

Baekhyun was about to circle the car to the driver’s side, when he heard Chanyeol yell again - “Just hear me out, please!”

Having had enough, he turned to Chanyeol with flare, his arms spread to convey his point. “I don’t want an explanation! You don’t get to just show up here with my son after four years! He’s mine, fucking _leave_ ,” he practically yelled, not seeing the uneven gravel right in his path.

Chanyeol made to stop him, but the damage was already done. Baekhyun was lying flat on his ass by the car, his leg at an odd angle. Sehun screamed from his carseat, kicking to try and get the belt off. Chanyeol could see the tears from a mile a way.

“Baekhyun!” Chanyeol called, striding towards him and leaning down to pick the other up and off the floor, ignoring Sehun’s sobbing for the moment. Baekhyun hissed, signalling for Chanyeol to put him down. The bridesmaids all looked on at the scene, scandalized.

“I think I sprained it, shit,” Baekhyun brought his hands down to the injured area, groaning at the sting. Chanyeol’s brows furrowed, eyes carefully inspecting the damage. 

“Is Daddy okay?” Sehun yelled, his head just barely peeking out the window of the car, his little mouth pouting, tears on the verge of falling. 

“I’m fine, Baby.” Baekhyun put on a brave face for his little one, despite having to grit the words out through the pain. 

Chanyeol looked between the two for a moment, observing, before continuing. “I think it’s sprained, too. Does anyone here have a first aid kit?” He raised his voice as he asked, coming up empty from the frenzied wedding guests. 

The younger let out a tired breath. “I have one back home, but I don’t think I’ll be able to drive down in this condition…” He ran his hand through his hair. “Bad luck always finds me when I’m with you.” Baekhyun glared at the older, nothing but pure anger in his eyes.

“I’m not bad luck, you’re just clumsy,” Chanyeol replied, his face contorting, barely holding back a laugh. This probably the worst time for him to be thrown into a fit of laughter, but this was all so absurd. Baekhyun was _trying_ to be mad at him, but as usual, he made a fool of himself, and Chanyeol had to help him again. He had no idea how Baekhyun had survived by himself for this long, and with a child, no less. “Here, put your arms around my neck. I’ll take you down.” He gripped the underside of Baekhyun’s knees and back in his palms, seemingly intending to lift him up bridal style - quite reminiscent of the last time they had come up here - but Baekhyun raised his hand to stop him.

“You are not going to carry me down, we’re not cavemen. I have a car,” he deadpanned, knocking his knuckles against the cold metal of the vehicle. 

“You don’t say, your highness.” Chanyeol chuckled at Baekhyun’s obtuse attitude. But, he supposed the younger’s reaction was warranted, so he left him to fume in his arms. “I meant, let me drive you two down?”

Baekhyun practically went scarlet at the old pet name, awkwardly relenting. He turned his keys over to the other. “Don’t fucking call me that.”

Chanyeol laughed, obviously amused by the turn of events. “Alright.” 

The ride down the trail was mostly silent, Baekhyun pouting in his seat, and Sehun having fallen asleep after all of the stress had taken its toll on him.

“You were so cool just then, cursing me out and all, but you just _had_ to fall down.” Chanyeol gested, finally breaking the ice. 

Baekhyun looked scandalized, giving Chanyeol a very deliberate side-eye. “I was being serious! I don’t want you back here. Needing your help to get home doesn’t change that. Once you drop us off, you should leave.” He grumbled.

Chanyeol bit his lip. “I can’t, I came by ferry. Next one out is on Monday, if I remember correctly.”

“Oh, don’t pull that bullshit with me, Mr. CEO. Where’s your fancy boat?” Baekhyun scoffed, looking back out the window, away from the other. 

Chanyeol turned to look at him, wide eyed, before looking back at the road in front of him. “You know about… who I am?” He stuttered.

Baekhyun was still not looking back at him, and so he relented, leaving the subject of his job for later. 

“I left my boat here, for you.” Chanyeol stated slowly, but Baekhyun remained silent.

After a beat of contemplation between them, the younger finally replied. “I always thought you had forgotten about it and left it in your haste to get away from me, or something,” Baekhyun whispered, his voice disappearing out the window. 

Chanyeol grit his teeth, realizing that these were the kinds of thoughts that had been spinning through Baekhyun’s head over the years. “You _know_ I love you. I didn’t want to leave you. Somewhere deep down, you must have known that I had a good reason for leaving,” he emphasized, frustration clear in the tenor of his voice; but the other wasn’t prepared to listen.

Baekhyun sighed tiredly, clearly not wanting to hear whatever explanation the taller had for leaving all those years ago. “You don’t need to lie anymore, Chanyeol. It was a fling, whatever… that’s what you rich people do, right? You prey on idiots like me,” he mumbled.

Chanyeol tightened his grip on the steering wheel, unsure how to convince Baekhyun otherwise. “There were reasons why I couldn’t reveal my identity back then… For your own good. Besides, I had come here with the intent of becoming a new person and leaving that life behind.” 

“But you didn’t…” Baekhyun paused, “leave that life behind, I mean.” He replied, dazedly staring out the window, observing the passing evening. 

“I... didn’t,” Chanyeol relented, his words accompanied by a defeated sigh. He bit his lip. “Listen, Baekhyun… Maybe this isn’t the best time to talk about the past, but we need to talk about Sehun. You said...” he began, but his husband wasn’t having it. 

“No. We’re not talking about him, and that’s final.” Baekhyun pulled into himself harshly, his arms coming across his chest in a defensive stance. 

“Baekhyun, I--” Chanyeol began again, his tone was filled with desperation.

“Chanyeol, I’m serious, I don’t know how you found him, but this is the last time you’ll be seeing him,” he continued stubbornly, no room for argument left in his demeanor.

Chanyeol sucked in a breath, annoyed, but decided to leave this talk for another time. “Baekhyun, At least tell me where we’re going, where do you live now?” He asked as they got to the bottom of the hill. 

“I still live at the farmhouse.” The younger stated, his voice tapering off.  

Chanyeol’s brow furrowed. “I went there. It’s an inn now.” 

“Yeah, my inn. I own it...” Baekhyun mumbled, and Chanyeol took a moment to process this information silently. 

“That was the first place I went. I was worried that you might have been kicked out.” He confessed, adjusting his grip on the wheel. 

“You would’ve liked that wouldn’t you?” Baekhyun began, and Chanyeol huffed tiredly again. It seemed like Baekhyun had gotten it into his head that Chanyeol was his mortal enemy. “Well, I wasn’t. Turns out that the old lady who owned the bar also owned the abandoned farmhouse, but had no labor to fix it up. She gave it to me once she learned that I fixed up the place…” He stated awkwardly, realizing that he had given the elder the upper hand.

The edge of Chanyeol’s lips quirked up into a small smirk. At least he had done one thing right - fixing up the farmhouse had at least guaranteed his lover shelter and means of income while he was gone. Although, now he regretted not sending money and provisions to help out. Now that he had all of the facts, he made up his mind.  

“I’m staying, Baek’.” 

“Absolutely not--” Baekhyun began again, but as they came to a stop at the inn’s parking lot, Chanyeol’s reached his hand out to place it over Baekhyun’s lean one, effectively shutting the younger up. 

“Let me help you. I want to help you out.” He tried to catch Baekhyun’s eyes, but the other still refused to look at him. Chanyeol let out an inaudible sigh, knowing that it would be an uphill battle from here on out.

“Just get me inside.” Baekhyun replied, pulling his hands out of Chanyeol’s soft grip.

  
  


**Track 12: Take a Chance on Me**

Approaching the entrance of the inn, it was already dark out. The cicadas were singing and the garden was now empty; all of the guests presumably at the function. Chanyeol had already helped Baekhyun out of the car-- he had wrapped a hand around his waist to escort him inside, before making another trip inside with Sehun softly snoozing in his arms.  

Entering the inn once again, Chanyeol found Baekhyun sitting right where he left him. However, this time, he was not alone. There was a woman bent over Baekhyun’s knee, fussing over his ankle. When she stood back up to scold Baekhyun for his carelessness, Chanyeol observed that she was a petite, young woman wearing a long, blue dress that fluttered down the sides of her waist. 

“I’m fine Junmyeon, I just need the first aid kit.” Baekhyun explained, and the woman, Junmyeon, huffed before running up the stairs, apparently not noticing Chanyeol in the doorway. 

Once she had left, Baekhyun finally looked up at Chanyeol, probably for the first time that night. “You should leave. Give Sehun to me.” He made grabby hands at the elder, but Chanyeol held Sehun tighter to his chest, adamant on making his point. 

“I’m not leaving, Baekhyun. At least not until you’re better.” 

“I don’t need you to help me! I’m fine by myself -- I’ve _been_ fine for the past four years without you.” The confession stung, but Chanyeol let him continue. “Besides, I have my people here now. They can take care of me.” 

“That little thing?” Chanyeol gestured towards the stairs with his chin. “There’s no way she’ll even be able to help you up the stairs, let _alone_ help you run this place while taking care of a kid. Please, hold me responsible. Let me help.” _Hold me responsible for leaving you, make me make it up to you,_ was on the tip of his tongue, but he had a feeling that Baekhyun understood what he meant. 

The younger bit his lip, looking down once again. Chanyeol watched his expressions change, hoping that he would finally relent. Baekhyun opened his mouth to say something, but in that very moment, the sound of Junmyeon’s footsteps pattered down the stairs once again, finally observing Chanyeol with Sehun his arms. “Oh! There he is. I was looking all over for the little one.” She said as she absentmindedly handed the first aid kit over to Baekhyun

“Junmyeon, don’t think you’re going to get away with this. You let this _rando_ kidnap my son!” Baekhyun scolded, pointing at the CEO accusingly.

“Hey, I’m not--” Chanyeol started, but Junmyeon cut him off this time.

“You know Sehun has a mind of his own! He talks to random people and always runs off! It’s not my fault you raised him so friendly.” She grouched, her voice rising in volume. The woman must have been quite scatterbrained to have not only left Sehun alone while the wedding was going on, but to have also let Chanyeol take Sehun amidst all of the chaos. Although Chanyeol didn’t want to admit it-- he _was_ a ‘rando’ as Baekhyun had said. For now, at least. 

Chanyeol came to the conclusion that he didn’t trust Junmyeon with Baekhyun’s wellbeing - let alone his potential son’s wellbeing.

Coming back to reality, Chanyeol focused back on Baekhyun, who looked rather miffed. His brows were furrowed, and he did that adorable thing with his nose where it scrunched up like a growling dog. Chanyeol had half a mind to smile at the familiar expression.

“I did a good job raising him...” Baekhyun finally retorted, and Junmyeon’s expression softened. 

“You did, sweetie.” She padded up to the blonde, patting his hair down in what could only be described as a motherly way. “Sehun’s a good boy, he’s just overly friendly, that’s all. He needs to learn _stranger danger._ ” She explained, reaching her thin hands out to take Sehun from Chanyeol’s arms, her eyes hopeful. He resisted for a moment, but Baekhyun’s glare finally made him give Sehun up to the caretaker. 

“I’ll take him up.” She stated, smiling once again before padding away, completely unphased by the obvious tension in the lobby.

Chanyeol watched longingly as she took Sehun away, before looking back down at his husband. “She’s… something.” He finally stated, breaking the silence. 

Baekhyun let out a half snort. “That doesn’t even begin to describe that wretched, scatterbrained little girl.” 

“And yet, you let her handle Sehun?” Chanyeol asked, his head tilted in incredulity. Baekhyun looked back up at him with a hate-filled glare. 

  
“I didn’t have much of a choice, did I?” 

Chanyeol gulped, realizing that he was indeed in the wrong. To dissipate the awkward tension, he bent down, resting one hand under Baekhyun’s knees, and the other under his back to pull him into his chest with a small bounce. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Baekhyun stuttered out, his eyes widening as he grabbed onto Chanyeol’s shoulders for dear life. 

The taller smirked, almost tempted to roll his eyes. “Taking you upstairs,” he said, bouncing Baekhyun slightly in his hold to get him comfortable. “Hang on to my neck.” 

The blonde complied hesitantly, slowly sliding his hands around the older’s neck, he was thrown up lightly once again in the others’ arms, his face coming in close contact with Chanyeol’s own. It felt like Chanyeol’s world stopped as Baekhyun’s face came close to his own. The intimate position arose a soft pink color in the younger’s cheeks. Noticing his slip-up, Baekhyun abruptly looked away, and a disappointed breath made its way passed Chanyeol’s lips.

Chanyeol brought him up the stairs carefully, steps hardly creaking under their weight. It was a welcome change to not have to fear for their lives as they navigated the farmhouse. As soon as they made it to the landing, Baekhyun pointed them to one of the bedrooms. Chanyeol kicked the door open, chuckling victoriously. “You know, if I had done that four years ago, the door would have probably fallen off its hinges,” he commented.

“You didn’t fix this place up for nothing, I suppose.” Baekhyun begrudgingly mumbled. 

“I did good,” Chanyeol replied smugly, his mouth curling into a smirk. He carried Baekhyun across the room and let him down on the bed, helping him up to rest against the bed frame.

Once he had Baekhyun settled, Chanyeol took a moment to observe the bedroom. The room was almost barren-- as if Baekhyun was ready to leave at any time. There was a dresser now, a few photos of Sehun, and mattress, but not much else. In fact, it looked barely lived in.

Baekhyun’s eyes drooped slightly as he made himself comfortable on the bed. It had been an emotional day, and sleep seemed to want to claim him as early as possible.

“Baekhyun… You can’t sleep yet.” Chanyeol said, approaching the bed again and shaking Baekhyun slightly in an attempt to keep him awake. “We can’t push this talk off any longer. I’ve seen the way Sehun looks, he has our stupid big ears and my curly hair. I let you off until now but I need to know. Is… Is he mine?” He gripped the blanket tightly, waiting for a response.

Baekhyun turned away from Chanyeol, a frown creeping back onto his face “...No,” he replied.

“Don’t lie to me.” Chanyeol’s voice came out strained.

“He’s not yours, he’s mine. _I_ raised him,” Baekhyun finally replied, his voice tapering off as he fell into unconsciousness.


	5. S.O.S Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FIRST OF ALL. anything in italics!! in this chapter are FLASHBACKS. Anything BOLD is song lyrics........... why am i like this
> 
> Hi guys... so I really became that author that doesn't update for a year huh.... lol. It's true though, I did get some negative feedback saying my fic wasn't great/not dramatic enough on my previous chapter and I got really disheartened. That, coupled with the fact that I started university really just turned me off from writing. I have been actively reading y'all's fics and recommending them on thechanbaeklibrary so there's that.... 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this even a little bit. The next two chapters inject a little more drama (I think?) with flashbacks to Baekhyun's pregnancy/how he felt when Chanyeol left him. It's currently 3am and I proofread as much as I could, but I'm sure I'll be horrified by this in the morning. Well... enjoy? Only one song today.
> 
> oh also............ u can catch me at @92baekyeols on twitter.

**Track 13: S.O.S**

_**Where are those happy days, they seem so hard to find** _   
_**I tried to reach for you, but you have closed your mind** _   
_**Whatever happened to our love?** _   
_**I wish I understood** _   
  


_Baekhyun woke up, a bile in his throat. He reached over to the other side of the bed, but there was no one there. A gravelly groan ripped from his throat, and he thrashed around the bed for a moment._

_“Chanyeol! Babe! Can you get me some water?” He yelled from the bed, dizziness overwhelming him. When no response came, he sighed._

_Chanyeol had been… absent, lately. Usually, he would wake up to Chanyeol mapping his face while he slept, or kisses down his neck as Chanyeol hummed against his skin. Nowadays, Chanyeol would sneak off early in the mornings, chopping wood restlessly in the yard or going down to the docks to fish._

_Baekhyun could read Chanyeol like an open book. He knew his husband was preoccupied… but with_ what _, was the question._

_It had all started a few weeks ago, when Chanyeol had gotten a phone call during dinner time. Baekhyun remembered this specifically because… neither of them had gotten a phone call for months- since they had come down to the island, really. They had cut off most of their contact with the outside world, living in their little bubble; only occasionally going to the mainland._

_That night, Chanyeol had frozen at the dinner table mid-chew, and his eyes bulged. It was only for a moment -- a microexpression, really -- before it returned to normal. Chanyeol was closed off for the rest of the night, and never went to pick up the phone despite Baekhyun’s encouragement to check on who had called. Later that night, Baekhyun had felt the dip in the bed as Chanyeol disappeared into the night, and he didn’t come home until early the next morning._

_Now, Baekhyun was reaping the consequences of not asking his husband what had happened that night. He was afraid -- this was the first time Chanyeol had hidden something from him, and their relationship had become more strained by the day with the secret looming over their heads._

_Scrubbing his hands down his face, Baekhyun got out of bed and the entire world spun around him. He ran to the bathroom, throwing up the contents of last night’s dinner. He laid against the toilet seat for a moment, taking in shuddering breaths. It was then that he made up his mind that he had to ask Chanyeol what was running through his head before things got any worse._

_He wiped his face at the sink, brushing the acid off his teeth before heading out of the farmhouse. First, he looked around the courtyard wherein Chanyeol typically went looking for firewood -- but he was nowhere to be found. He shrugged it off, going down to the docks to continue his search._

_Arriving at the seaport, saltwater hit his face like a train, and his eyes teared up from the breeze. He squinted to look around for his husband, but only the early-morning fishermen were in sight. A panic arose in the pit of his stomach, but it was immediately quenched when he saw his lover’s boat. He stomped towards it, about to give Chanyeol a piece of his mind for leaving him alone in bed, when… he realized the main deck was empty. He made his way to the lower deck, hope still alive in his chest, where he found all of Chanyeol’s things still lying there; his guitar case, his trunk- his fishing rod, but there was not a soul in sight._

_Baekhyun bit his lip, running off towards the town square. The bar was closed, so he made a turn towards the temple. Hiking up forty-five minutes on an empty stomach winded him, and when he got to the top, the nausea hit once again. He bent down over the side of the trail to heave, but he came up empty._

_Reaching the temple, all he could see was the remnants of the sunrise. It was still as beautiful as ever, but there was a certain silence looming over the scene. All he could see now was an expanse of endless, deep ocean, and it made him feel small; powerless. He dropped to his knees and leant back against one of the columns of the temple. A wave of something-- an emotion he couldn’t pinpoint-- crashed over him as he looked at the scene._

_It was the first day Chanyeol left him, replaying in his head like a nightmare._

 

Baekhyun woke up abruptly, gasping for air. He reached across the bed, and it was empty, a sense of fear enveloped him for a moment, as if he were reliving that day again, when he heard thumps racing down the hallway at a breakneck speed. The door creaked as it opened, and a familiar set of charcoal eyes and lovely black hair greeted him. 

“G’morning Daddy,” Sehun padded his way into Baekhyun’s room and jumped onto the bed. Baekhyun let out a shaky breath, before reaching for his baby. 

“Hi sweetheart… did you sleep well in your big boy bed?” He asked, gently pushing Sehun’s hair out of his face. 

“I don’t like the big boy bed Daddy, it’s scary.” He pouted, and Baekhyun let out a strangled laugh, tears still fresh in the corners of his eyes from the dream. 

“You’ll get used to it, I promise… How about this, since you were such a good boy last night, you can sleep in my room with me tonight. How does that sound?” Sehun immediately jumped on his dad, wrapping his arms around his neck tightly. 

“Yes, yes, yes, yes!” He shouted around his adorable little lisp, his giggles warming Baekhyun’s heart.

Once Baekhyun successfully removed his little monkey from around his neck, he moved to get up. “How do pancakes sound-- oh _shit_.”

Baekhyun’s fingers immediately flew to cover his mouth. He had completely forgotten about his injury, remaining mostly stationary through the night, it had stopped hurting. As soon as he put pressure on it to get up, it stung like a _bitch_ . At least he didn’t say _that_ in front of his son. 

“Daddy, what’s _shit_?” Sehun asked, completely innocent, and Baekhyun huffed under his breath. 

“Baby, that’s a no-no word, you shouldn’t say it.” He smiled, looking at his son with all the patience in the world.

“But Daddy said it, why can’t I?” Sehun said, apparently not understanding why he couldn’t follow in his father’s footsteps. 

“Yeah, why can’t he?” A third, much lower voice sounded from the doorway. Baekhyun raised his head to look at the newcomer, a scowl decorating his face almost immediately.

“You’re still here?” Baekhyun asked, his patience seemingly having run out. 

“Stop avoiding the question.” Chanyeol continued, his relaxed position against the door only serving to piss Baekhyun off further. 

Baekhyun snorted, before lightly guiding Sehun off the bed. “Baby, go down stairs and ask Jun to get breakfast started, I’ll be right down.” 

Sehun looked in between the two adults, his brows slightly furrowing in confusion. A lot had happened since the tall stranger had arrived on the island, and he had been thoroughly distressed seeing his Daddy hurt the night before. 

“Daddy… is okay?” The toddler asked, his voice small and unsure. 

Baekhyun’s heart absolutely melted at the sight of his toddler worrying over him. “Of course, baby. It’s Daddy’s job to worry about you, not the other way around. Now shoo.” Baekhyun patted Sehun’s little butt, and the three-year-old scrambled down the bed and out of the room, but not without a small glare at the tall man in the doorway. It seemed Sehun still couldn’t quite figure out what to make of the man. 

Baekhyun smiled slightly at his son’s protectiveness, before turning his attention back to his ex-husband. “Seriously Chanyeol, what do you want? Even Sehun is confused by why you’re here.” 

Chanyeol’s demeanor suddenly became serious. He lifted himself off and away from the doorframe. “I want to help you, I already told you. Let me see your ankle.” He finally strode his way into the room leant down in front of Baekhyun’s feet, inspecting the swollen ankle. His thick, rough fingers caressed the red areas with utmost attention and care, the touches feeling like a small breeze against his skin. “It looks like we’ll have to replace the wrap, it’s falling apart at the edges.” Chanyeol’s big eyes looked up at him, and slightly nodded towards the bedside table in the room. “You kept the bandages in there last night, right?”

Baekhyun nodded weakly, turning away from the gaze that seemed to be boring into his soul. 

Chanyeol reached over to the drawers of the nightstand, still bent on one knee. He got to work on Baekhyun’s ankle, movements smooth and precise. He then began to speak. “My sister used to twist her ankle all the time when we were little. The little thing loved climbing trees; God knows why. I was terrified of it. I always had to wrap her up so our parents wouldn’t find out she had been ditching her classes to go play outside again.” He smiled slightly at the memory, looking up at Baekhyun to gauge his reaction. 

Baekhyun’s head was still turned away, but his bottom lip was caught in his teeth; a sign that he was listening. Chanyeol let out a small breath through his nose before reaching his thumb up to release Baekhyun’s entrapped lip. “I thought I told you not to bite your lips anymore. It’ll bleed.” He said with a tinge of exhaustion in his voice, before Baekhyun felt the elder leaning his head down to leave a soft kiss on his sprained ankle. “There, that should speed things up.” 

Baekhyun turned towards him almost immediately, only to see Chanyeol looking back up at him with a small half smile. Baekhyun pulled his leg away from Chanyeol’s grasp harshly. 

“I need to go down stairs, we have guests.” Baekhyun grumbled, pushing himself off of the bed on his good leg. Chanyeol frowned, immediately pulling Baekhyun’s small frame towards him to help support him. 

“Can’t your staff take care of that? You’re unwell.” Chanyeol’s brows furrowed, grunting as Baekhyun started to resist his hold. “Baekhyun! Just stay still and let me help you.” He finally barked, growing increasingly agitated with Baekhyun’s childish attitude. 

“No!” Baekhyun shouted - like a child, he might add - before stepping lightly on his sprained foot to move out of Chanyeol’s grasp, only to flinch before falling right on his ass back on the bed. 

Chanyeol rested his hands on his hips, miffed. “Are you seriously going to be like this? You _can’t_ stand on it, Baekhyun. Let me help you.” 

Baekhyun huffed once, before rolling his eyes. He let Chanyeol help him up once again, before going completely limp in his arms. Chanyeol almost stumbled back at the sudden weight, before stabilizing himself again. “What the hell, Baekhyun!” 

Baekhyun was, childishly, leaning his entire body weight on Chanyeol. “You wanted to help, right? Help then.” 

Chanyeol huffed, putting Baekhyun back down on the bed. “How do you have a child? You _are_ a child.”

Baekhyun glared up at the man as if his gaze alone could commit murder. “Well. I wasn’t going to just abandon my child, was I?”

Chanyeol’s demeanor turned serious at that, his smile disappearing “Baekhyun, you know that’s not what I meant,” he began, but Baekhyun wasn’t listening anymore.

“Then what _did_ you mean when you abandoned your pregnant husband in the middle of goddamn nowhere? Huh?” 

“You know what? Fine. I’ll fucking bite. Why did you go through with the pregnancy, Baek? Don’t you have regrets? You could have been free of all of this.” Chanyeol finally barked, his face crumpling in frustration.

Baekhyun blanched, anger piling up in the dip of his chest. “How fucking _dare_ you.”

 

_Baekhyun had been sick. It had been weeks since Chanyeol had left, and the hope that he would come back for him was diminishing little by little. His day had become routine. Wake up, vomit, go back to sleep, repeat. It was the grief, he told himself._

_Although Chanyeol had only been a part of his life for a short time, he had felt as if he had found a soulmate in him. His soul yearned for the warm touches of his hands and the smell of his natural musk. He longed to feel that fullness he got from being intertwined with this man on all levels of love._

_He had been feeling dizzy all that morning after another spell of vomiting. Baekhyun found himself in the kitchen, trying to get the tap to work in order to wash his mouth out, but nothing would come out. The tap wasn’t working, and so he hit it, and hit it again, with the hope that it would start pouring water again. He hit it again and again and again, until his palms were red. Tears started down his face once again, until his head began to pound._

_Suddenly, his vision became blurry, and everything went black._

_When Baekhyun finally woke up, he had been moved to the couch. His eyes wearily looked around, reaching for a glass of water that had been placed on the table beside him. Hope started to surge in his chest once again - before he saw the face of his caretaker. It was a young, Asian girl, standing at about five-feet-four with a worn out gown cascading her body. Baekhyun’s eyes widened, water spitting down his chin._

_“Mom! Baekhyun is awake!” She shouted into the kitchen. At that moment, his boss from the bar stomped into the parlor from the kitchen with her hands on her hips._

_“Ms. Irene? What-” Baekhyun sputtered, only to be flicked on his forehead by the middle-aged woman._

_“Baekhyun, what the hell? You dropped off the side of the Earth with no notice for weeks on end. I was so worried, and we had no idea where you lived!” She scolded, with surprising vigor for such a tiny woman._

_“Mom, he just woke up, calm down--” The blonde teen began, only to be shut down by her mother._

_“Baekhyun, where the hell is Chanyeol? You’re so incredibly lucky we decided to drop by our farmhouse today of all days. You were lying out cold on the floor when we got here!” Irene continued._

_Baekhyun blinked. “You own this place?” he asked groggily, his head still pounding._

_“Yes- and you’re lucky it wasn’t some other Greek hillbilly with a shotgun. Have you two been living here this whole time?” She asked._

_“It’s… just one now. Just me.” Baekhyun began. “Chanyeol, he… well, left.” Baekhyun’s heart dropped at finally having to admit that he had been abandoned. He could only observe as Irene’s face dropped at the information._

_“What do you mean he left? What happened?”_

_“I wish I knew…” Baekhyun answered, scrubbing his face with his hands tiredly. “Do you need me to leave? I’m sorry we crashed here - we had nowhere else to go.” he explained._

_Irene bit her lip. “It’s… okay. We weren’t getting any use out of the old place anyways, and you made repairs that had been long put off. I think that warrants rent for a while.” She smiled, her features crumpling a bit, finally showing the wear of her age on her face._

_Baekhyun smiled slightly. “Thank you.” He looked over to the side, at the young girl. “I had no idea you had a daughter.”_

_Irene padded over to the girl and smoothed her hair down. “Yup, my little Junmyeon. She goes to school on the mainland so she’s hardly here. Don’t like to keep pictures of her in the bar in case some losers start getting stupid ideas.” The bar owner smiled proudly at her daughter._

_“Mom, please.” Junmyeon rolled her eyes with a scoff._

_Turning back to Baekhyun, Irene began again. “Why haven’t you been down to the bar? You should have come and asked for help if things were getting this bad. Being alone on this island is a curse.”_

_“I… have been sick. I don’t know… after Chanyeol left I started vomiting every morning. My feet are always swollen and it feels like I can’t move. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I’ll even make it to the mainland in this condition.” Baekhyun started to tear up again, at the edge of his wits._

_Irene pursed her lips, briefly looking towards Junmyeon. “Honey… how long has this been going on?”_

_“A month, maybe? Since Chanyeol left,” Baekhyun replied._

_Irene sighed, putting the pieces together. “Oh, sweetheart…” She approached Baekhyun slowly, with the graze only she possessed. She sat beside him on the small couch and pressed her forehead to his temple in a comforting gesture. “Did you have unprotected sex with Chanyeol… you know… when you were still together?”_

_Baekhyun froze. “What are you insinuating?”_

_“You look deathly pale, sunken, your cheeks are swollen. Your morning sickness, and the fainting…? It’s a possibility.” She whispered softly. “I’ll get some pregnancy tests from the mainland tomorrow.”_

_Baekhyun blanched. “A baby…?”_

_“Baek-”_

_Baekhyun pressed his hand to his lower abdomen. “Our baby...” He whispered brokenly, his voice nothing but a ghost in the silence between them._

_Irene paused, her breath coming out stilted. “What do you want to do? Whatever it is, we’ll support you.”_

_Baekhyun looked at her, a sense of strength and determination washing over him in waves after weeks and weeks of feeling nothing but defeat. “I’m going to have to love this baby. I can’t abandon him like I was abandoned. He will be loved, no matter what.”_

 

“I have never regretted having Sehun. He is the best thing that happened to me. I’m sorry that you don’t have the same feelings.” Baekhyun replied before whispering in an even smaller voice. "Besides, he was the only thing I had left of you. How could I let him go?"

Chanyeol paused, shocked at Baekhyun's surprisingly candid answer. He nodded minutely, pain thick in his voice when he spoke once again. “Let’s just head downstairs.”

He finally reached down to pick Baekhyun up to get him down the stairs. When they reached the kitchen, there was a charged silence between the two - only broken when Sehun came padding over to pull Baekhyun’s hands in his own.

“Daddy okay?” Sehun looked concerned once again, unused to his Dad being so flustered.

Baekhyun miserably ran a hand through his own hair before patting his son’s head. “Daddy’s fine, Baby.” He consoled, pulling him into his lap and rocking him back and forth against his chest. He then turned to Junmyeon, who was observing the situation with her big hawk eyes. “Junmyeon, let’s just do a pancake buffet today, I really don’t have it in me to cook with my leg like this.” 

Sehun pulled his head away from Baekhyun’s chest and began to bounce in his lap, babbling excitedly. Baekhyun smiled down at his little love and planted a small kiss on his forehead, feeling more protective of him after his talk with his ex-husband. 

“Yes, my baby, Hunnie’s favorite pancakes today! Junmyeon, can you get the ingredients ready?” He asked. 

Junmyeon nodded slowly, flicking her long blonde hair behind her neck before looking to the kitchen for the ingredients. Chanyeol made to help, reaching above her to the cupboards and fetching the necessary pans. 

While Chanyeol’s back was turned, Baekhyun let the small, depraved part of himself admire the scene. It was so odd to see the man in his little kitchen- it was something he had fantasized about for years on end.

The kitchen began to smell of sugary pancakes - not unlike the first day Baekhyun had spent in this very farmhouse. Warmth bloomed in his chest, although it was unwelcome. He knew he couldn’t be pulled back into Chanyeol’s old tricks.

Junmyeon began to take the pancakes to be served outside to the guests on the patio, while Chanyeol served the father-son duo at the dining table. Baekhyun smiled slightly at Sehun’s face that was bloomed full of excitement - his cheeks pulled up and rosy. He passed the bottle of syrup to the toddler, ignoring Chanyeol’s looks from where he had decided to sit beside him. 

As soon as Sehun lifted the cap of the bottle, it slipped out of his hands and onto the floor. There was syrup everywhere, the brown sticky substance stringed on every inch of the floor.

Baekhyun cursed, before realizing Sehun was already tearing up from across the table. “Oh, baby, it’s okay,” he soothed, but it was too late. Sehun already had fat tears streaming down his face. 

“Baby, it’s fine, you just need to be more careful next time!” Baekhyun insisted, kneeling down on the floor despite his injured foot, trying to clean the floor with a napkin. Chanyeol was immediately by his side, with a wet towel in his hand. 

Baekhyun looked up into Chanyeol’s eyes. 

 

_Back when Sehun was still seven months old, Baekhyun had struggled to take care of him. He was still working as a singer at the bar, but Irene could only help him so much as she was a single mother too._

_He had woken up to Sehun’s cries from his small crib, and he went to go check on him. Even after rocking him in an attempt to shush him, Sehun continued to cry until his little face was red._

_Baekhyun walked him down the stairs to the kitchen, looking in the fridge for the baby formula, only to realize that the bottles had been at the edge of the rack. As he opened the fridge door, the bottles fell to the floor and cracked on the ground - the loud crashing sounds only heightening his baby’s cries._

_His face paled, and he rocked Sehun against his chest once again. “You’re fine baby, you’re fine. Daddy will do something. Daddy won’t let you starve, I promise.” He chanted._ _“I promise, I promise, I promise.” Baekhyun looked through the fridge for anything else he could give his child, but with the constant cries in his ear and the panic setting into this chest, he could only sob._

_Baekhyun planted his forehead against Sehun’s small one, tears tracking down both their cheeks. “I’m so sorry baby. Daddy’s sorry... I don’t know how I’m going to do this alone.”_

...

“Baekhyun? Baekhyun? Are you okay?” A deep voice called out his name, and he came back into reality. He realized his vision was blurry, and tears were streaming down his face. He looked into Chanyeol’s eyes, getting sucked into the comfort of his black irises, despite knowing he shouldn’t.

“What are you doing to me, Chanyeol?” Baekhyun asked brokenly. 

_**The love you gave me, nothing else can save me.** _


	6. S.O.S Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Note: hey guys, I edited the previous chapter a bit (IM SO SORRY) particularly this bit: “I have never regretted having Sehun. He is the best thing that happened to me. I’m sorry that you don’t have the same feelings.” Baekhyun replied before whispering in an even smaller voice. "Besides, he was the only thing I had left of you. How could I let him go?"
> 
>  
> 
> Chanyeol paused, shocked at Baekhyun's surprisingly candid answer. He nodded minutely, pain thick in his voice when he spoke once again. “Let’s just head downstairs.”  
> Which is important for the following chapter. So sorry again! Still getting back into it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK SO. i know this chapter is quite short I'm so sorry but do you ever write and write for hours and then the word count is just 1k????? that's what happened me this chapter LmAO But.... Chanyeol and Baekhyun both think through some shit in their time apart and then the drama really goes ham at the end so... we living. JUST SO YALL KNOW. THERE IS NO REAL INFIDELITY IN THIS FIC..... (although I do love a good infidelity fic) I don't want to spoil anything but this is not an infidelity fic!!! chanyeol is not that much of an asshole and some *HINTS* are dropped about why he had to leave in his convo with Jun so look out for those before u throw bricks at me ;-;;;; 
> 
> Next few chapters will delve more into what happened in the past so bear with me !!!!!!! shits gonna get dramatique. I'm gonna reply to your comments now u w u

S.O.S

_ You seem so far away though you are standing near _

_ You made me feel alive, but something died I fear _

_ I really tried to make it out _

_ I wish I understood _

_ What happened to our love, it used to be so good _

 

 

After seeing Baekhyun cry, Chanyeol had decided that he needed to give him some space. He had done enough damage in the last two days, and it was clear that Baekhyun was only getting worse.

Chanyeol headed to the beach that was just a ten minute walk down the new road from the Dolphin Inn. He had to rethink his strategy of trying to get back into Baekhyun’s life, because just barging in guns blazing clearly wasn’t working. 

He felt the salty air on his skin to be therapeutic alongside the sound of the waves washing against the shore. He took a deep breath in, but he was still lost at how to approach Baekhyun again. 

Just then, there was a tap on his shoulder. He turned around suddenly, only to be met with the crystal clear eyes of Baekhyun’s employee, Junmyeon. The young blonde woman looked at Chanyeol curiously, as if she hadn’t meant to get his attention, before speaking.

“So, you’re the infamous Chanyeol… You’re not what I expected.” She began. Chanyeol’s eyebrow rose in question.

“Did you follow me here?” he asked.

“Baekhyun said you were super hot, like, the hottest man he’s ever met. You’re just okay, though.” She began scrutinizing the man in front of her. Chanyeol was immediately miffed. Not only did she ignore his question, but insulted him and somehow… complimented him in one sentence. “You’re also a huge dick.”

“What the hell?” He crossed his arms over his chest defensively. 

“I’m just stating the facts. Besides, you hurt him really badly. Baek deserves better.” She stated, cocking her hip to the side. 

“I just-- he just started crying out of  _ nowhere-- _ ” he stuttered, caught off guard by the sudden attack by the seemingly sweet girl from earlier.

“Did he really, though? You’ve been criticizing his parenting skills since last night, after you showed up out of nowhere after five  _ years _ . Was it really out of  _ nowhere _ , Chanyeol?”

“I’m Sehun’s dad too, okay… I have the right--”

“You have the right to absolutely  _ nothing _ , you asshole. Baekhyun raised Sehun by himself while you were off doing God knows what with God knows who. All you need to do is shut up and be nice to him.” She iterated as if it was obvious.

Chanyeol paused. She was, unfortunately, absolutely right. He had no one else to blame but himself for the situation at hand. He scrubbed his hand down his face tiredly. Chanyeol had fucked up again. What was he thinking - asking Baekhyun whether he regretted having Sehun? Chanyeol was mad at nobody but himself - he had no right to take that anger out on Baekhyun.

Chanyeol  _ should _ have been there for him through the pregnancy.  _ He _ wasn’t there to raise Sehun.  _ He _ had made the decision to go back and help his family despite having built a new one on this island.

Chanyeol knew that if it had been him all alone, he would have gone through the pregnancy too. For the same reasons. Sehun was Baekhyun’s child. That was reason enough. Not only that, but Sehun was a ball of sunshine - sunshine that had come to fruition from his and Baekhyun’s love.

“I mean… you’re not wrong.  _ Shit _ .” Chanyeol started with a sigh, defeatedly taking a seat on the sand with his hands bundling his knees to his chest.

Chanyeol looked out at the cotton-candy blue water pensively, a short silence between them as he thought more about how grandly he had fucked things up with the love of his life. “I came here to beg for forgiveness from him, but seeing Sehun… it was just a huge curveball thrown at me. I wanted to be there for them so badly. I wanted to be there to raise my son. I was so angry at myself for not being there. I was such an asshole… God, Sehun probably hates me.” 

“At least you know.” She said from above him, and Chanyeol could hear the sarcasm in her tone without looking at her expression.

“He does deserve better. But... Wait- you’re not his lover or something right?” Chanyeol looked up suddenly, the realization hitting him like a bucket of cold water.

“No, gross. I’m like eighteen, dude. Baekhyun didn’t have any help after my mom passed away last year, so I just helped out around the inn...” Her voice dipped at the end, obviously awkward about voicing this to him.

“Oh, I’m sorry…” Chanyeol looked down to the sand and bit his lip. He had no idea. 

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault.” She seemed more pensive after that, staying silent. The silence was only filled by the waves crashing restlessly against the shore. 

“How… how is Baekhyun?” Chanyeol finally asked, breaking the silence.

“Not good. He’s crying in his room.” Junmyeon stated, her voice grave. 

“Fuck.” Chanyeol buried his face in his palms. “I keep trying to do the right thing, but it never turns out the way I want it to. And I always end up hurting the people I love the most.”

“You love Baekhyun?” She asked him, seeming genuinely in disbelief at the assertion.

“Yeah I do. With everything I have.” Chanyeol stated, hesitation absent from his voice.

“It doesn’t look like it. I know that if I loved someone with everything I got, I’d never leave them like that.” Junmyeon looked down at the man, resolute in her stance. Chanyeol could see the youth in her doe eyes. He sighed.

“...Sometimes life doesn’t go the way you want. Obligations get in the way. If I hadn’t left, someone else I deeply care for would have been hurt.” Chanyeol whispered cryptically. 

“You chose them over Baekhyun.” She stated, turning away exasperatedly. She placed her hands on her hips and waited for an answer from the man. 

“I wish I hadn’t. I can’t change the past. But I so badly want to change the future. My future is Baekhyun. I feel it with every vibration of my being. There wasn’t one day that I was back in that horrible place that I didn’t try to find a way to come back here.” Chanyeol ran a hand through his hair. It had become brittle from the salty sea breeze. 

“What do you mean? If you were trapped somewhere, why couldn’t you have told Baekhyun? You would have at least spared him the hurt he felt all this time. You know… Baekhyun didn’t have to stay on this island after you left. There is nothing here. No schools, no restaurants, it’s really no place to raise a child… But he stayed on..” Chanyeol could hear the anger in her voice, but he knew he was rightfully on the other end of it.

“I abandoned Baekhyun to save someone else. There is  _ no way _ I could have told him that. It would have hurt him more.” Chanyeol gritted out. Junmyeon sighed from above him. Chanyeol heard the sand crunch as the teen sat down next to him.

“How do you know that?” She asked, the guard finally down in her voice.

“I just… do. I know him better than anyone else. I feel him inside me. I felt the pain he felt within me every single day. He would have been hurt.” Chanyeol said resolutely, the frustration edging on his voice.

Junmyeon looked at the tall man pensively for a moment. “You fucked up.” She started. Chanyeol opened his mouth to retort, but she cut him off immediately. “But, you’re here now and that’s what matters. I don’t understand what Baekhyun sees in you, but he loves you… for some reason.” She squinted at him, and Chanyeol snorted. “What matters now is that you are here for them. Stop fighting with Baekhyun. I know what it’s like to be without a parent. I grew up without one… now two. Sehun needs you both. Just… don’t fuck it up again or there will be hell to pay.” She concluded.

Chanyeol smiled down at the sand before reaching out to ruffle her sandy blond hair. “Thanks, kiddo. Despite being a brat you’re surprisingly wise.” 

 

_ When you're gone _

_ How can I even try to go on? _

_ When you're gone _

_ Though I try, how can I carry on? _

 

Junmyeon had left for the inn in the afternoon, while Chanyeol stayed at the beach well into the evening. He gave Baekhyun the space they both needed, before heading back to the inn. When he arrived, it seemed that most of the wedding party had already left, the inn a ghostly quiet.

The floor creaked beneath him as he walked through the reception area to the foot of the stairs, only to be stopped by a baby guarding the path to his father. Sehun was on the floor playing with a toy truck, the tracks laid out like a fence in front of the staircase When he heard Chanyeol approaching, he looked up.

The father and son duo stared at each other for a moment before Sehun stood up shakily. He tottled over to Chanyeol’s feet and started banging his tiny fists against his dad’s shins. 

Despite the amount of strength the toddler was putting into hitting Chanyeol’s feet, the giant could barely feel any pain. “Hey… what are you doing?” Chanyeol asked awkwardly as Sehun continued to wrestle with his feet.

“Giant man made daddy cry!  _ Yous _ a bad man.” He looked like he was about to tear up again, lips coming into a giant point almost exactly like Baekhyun’s. It was a wonder he didn’t realize Sehun was Baekhyun’s son at first glance.

Chanyeol’s eyes softened. He knelt down to Sehun’s level and took his small hands in his own. “Sehun-ah, I know I hurt your daddy. Did he ever tell you what you’re supposed to do when you hurt someone?”

Sehun sniffled, his big cloudy eyes looking at Chanyeol with distrust. “You say sorry?”

Chanyeol smiled widely, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “That’s right. That’s why I’m here- to say sorry to your dad and to you. I’m really sorry for scaring you.” He sighed, hoping his sincerity was shining through his words.

Sehun’s bottom lip continued to stick out as he finally replied. “It’s ‘kay…” 

“Thank you. Baekhyun really raised you well.” Chanyeol ruffled the little boy’s hair before stepping around his toys to climb up the stairs. He was going to make this right. He had to. 

He knocked on the door at the end of the hall, cracking the door open a bit. He could see Baekhyun’s nose and cheeks were still pink from all of the crying, tiny sniffles still present as he thumbed through a book on the bed. 

The wedding planner looked up, eyes widening at seeing Chanyeol standing in the doorway once again. Chanyeol stepped in slowly.

“Chanyeol, why are you still here?” Baekhyun asserted sternly, his small body shaking in the bed as tears threatened to fall again. 

Chanyeol tightened his fists, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry for what I said, Baekhyun. It was out of line. Sehun… he is yours. It was the right decision to keep him and you raised him well. Beyond well, better than I could have.” 

At Baekhyun’s silence, Chanyeol took another step forward. “I’m not here to take anything from you. To claim you or Sehun. I’m just here to… ask for forgiveness. It may never come, and that’s my burden to bear. But in my heart, I’ll be your man forever.” Chanyeol looked down, the words coming out shakily. He was nervous. 

When he looked up, Baekhyun’s eyebrows were furrowed, but he was looking elsewhere. He looked… worried?

“Baek…?” Chanyeol asked softly, bringing the smaller man back to reality. 

“Chanyeol, there’s something I haven’t been truthful about.” Baekhyun closed his eyes tightly, as if the words coming out of his mouth were physically painful for him to say. “I… I know you married someone else when you went back to Seoul. I went to find you a few years ago. And… I saw you.” He started. 

Chanyeol froze, his eyes widening almost comically. “Baekhyun, I--” Baekhyun was breathing heavily, looking away from the man now. “Chanyeol, it’s true I still love you. You’ve seen what five minutes around you can do to me. I’m weak.  _ That’s _ my burden to bear, forever. But,  _ you _ \-- you don’t love me. If you did, you would not be here, making all of this harder for me than it already is. I can’t reject you. But I know I need to.” 


End file.
